Weston was greatly excited now, and drawing a candle from his pocket, he lighted it, and together the three made their way into the mine.  They had not proceeded far when the richness of the cave became most apparent, and Weston stared in amazement at the wealth he beheld on every side.

“Why, it’s a regular King Solomon’s mine!” he exclaimed.  “It has never been worked, and being so far up the side of the hill it has been missed by the prospectors who have scoured this region.  The place is full of gold!  Just look at that!” and he held out a handful of earth he had taken from the right hand wall.  “Our fortunes are made.”

“Suppose we get something to eat,” Reynolds suggested.  “I am almost starved.  We can examine our treasure afterwards.”

It did not take Natsu long to prepare their simple repast at the mouth of the cave, as their luncheon consisted merely of sandwiches and cake.  But there was plenty, and they thoroughly enjoyed the meal.  When it was finished Weston and Reynolds leaned back against a big rock, filled and lighted their pipes.

“My! this is comfort,” Reynolds remarked.  “It is not much like the first time I visited this place.  I little expected to be here so soon again.”

“And it won’t be the last time, either,” Weston replied, as he puffed thoughtfully at his pipe.  “The amount of gold in this cave astonishes me.”

“You thought it was all a cock-and-bull story I was telling you, I suppose?”

“I really did,” was the candid confession.  “I believed that the fearful experiences through which you passed had affected your brain for a time, and that you imagined you had discovered a rich mine.”

Reynolds laughed as he looked down the steep cliff.

“How are we to get the gold out of this place?” he asked.  “It will be difficult to take it by the way we have just come.”

“Oh, that will be no trouble, as we can easily get it to the Tasan, and from there take it down on The Frontiersman.  I have been some distance up the river and know that it can be navigated.  We can——­”

Weston never finished his sentence, for the sharp crack of a rifle suddenly split the air, and a bullet, passing through the top of Reynolds’ hat, spattered on the rock close to his head.  Instantly another shot rang out, farther down the creek, followed immediately by a wild, piercing shriek of pain.  Then all was still.

Greatly surprised and mystified, the men leaped to their feet, and stood staring across at the opposite hill from whence the sounds had come.  But nothing could they see except the great silent wall of rock and earth.  Each man grasped his rifle in readiness for any emergency, not knowing what to expect next.

“Who can it be?” Weston asked.  “What is the meaning of that second shot, and the scream of pain?  There’s something wrong over there, that’s quite evident.”

“Suppose we cross over and investigate,” Reynolds suggested.  “It may have been a stray shot which went through my hat.  But, hello! who’s that?”