ll happened.

In the meantime he was extremely interested in other affairs that
engrossed more and more of his attention. On that very first morning
he had shown to Major Arkell several papers that came to him with his
baggage. Among these were Boise Carson's letter, lawyer Ketchum's note
of identification, and the famous contract under which he claimed a
half-ownership in the Copper Princess.

At a later date he also attempted to show these papers to Mary
Darrell, but she declined to look at them, saying that, as she did not
doubt the validity of his claim, she had no desire to discuss it.

Major Arkell, however, examined the papers carefully, and expressed
himself as thoroughly satisfied that his young friend was a half-owner
in the mine heretofore known as "Darrell's Folly."

"And now," he said, "let us examine the property, and see whether it
is worth anything or not."

So these two set forth on a tour of inspection. They found the several
buildings to be in fair order, and all machinery in an excellent state
of preservation. Then they descended the shaft and examined the
material through which the several galleries had been driven, and
which the White Pine manager pronounced as barren even of promise as
any rock he had ever seen.

"The trouble seems to be," he said, "that they persistently drifted in
exactly the wrong direction, and went away from the true vein--which I
believe to be indicated by those ancient workings over yonder--instead
of towards it. Thus the engineer who laid out this mine either
displayed great ignorance, or else your property does not include that
strip of territory. But I'll tell you what we'll do. You stay here and
hold the fort for a few days while I go and look the thing up."

"I don't like to have you take so much trouble," protested Peveril.

"No trouble at all, my dear fellow--purely a matter of business. I
want, if possible, to become associated with you in this proposition.
As it now stands, your mine is worthless, unless it includes, or can
be made to include, those old workings. I believe they will make it
extremely valuable, for I am persuaded that the vein indicated by them
can be reached at a lower level from this very shaft."

So the major took his departure, and Peveril waited a whole week for
his return. In the meantime he familiarized himself with his property,
and, by means of a careful survey, established the relative positions
of the prehistoric mine and the sh