surface, it was evident
that the place in which we stood had at one time been a narrow,
water-worn gully in the mountain-side. Ages ago there had been a
landslide, filling the little gully with enormous boulders. That these
rocks came from the vein of the Samson higher up the mountain was also
pretty certain, for among them was one pear-shaped boulder of galena
ore, standing upright, upon the apex of which rested the immense
four-foot slab of stone through which Tom had bored his drill-hole. By a
chance that was truly marvelous, the drill, after piercing the great
slab, had struck the very point of the galena boulder and had gone
through it from end to end, so that when the core came up it was no
wonder that even Tom, experienced miner though he was, should have been
deceived into the belief that he had discovered a three-foot vein of
lead-ore.

As a matter of fact, there was no vein at all--just one single chunk of
galena, not worth the trouble of getting it out. Connor's lead-mine
after all had turned out to be only a "pocket edition."

Tom's disappointment was naturally extreme, but, as usual, his low
spirits were only momentary. We had hardly climbed up out of the hole
again when he suddenly burst out laughing.

"Ho, ho, ho!" he went, slapping his leg. "What will Yetmore say? I'm
sorry, Phil, that I couldn't keep my promise to your father, but I'll
own up that as far as Yetmore is concerned I'm rather glad. I don't like
the Honorable Simon, and that's a fact. What's he doing down at the
cabin all this time, I wonder. Come! Let's gather up the tools and go
down there: there's nothing more to be done here."

On arriving at the cabin, Yetmore's non-appearance was at once
explained. Fastened to the table with a fork was a piece of paper, upon
which was written in pencil, "Gone to look for the horses."

Of course, Joe and I at once ran over to the stable. It was empty; all
three of the horses were gone.

"Queer," remarked Joe. "I feel sure I tied mine securely, but you see
halters and all are gone."

"Yes," I replied. "And I should have relied upon our ponies' staying
even if they had not been tied up; you know what good camp horses they
are. Let's go out and see which way they went."

We made a cast all round the stable, and presently Joe called out, "Here
they are, all three of them." I thought he had found the horses, but it
was only their tracks he had discovered, which with much difficulty we
followed ove