nd the amateur prospectors went to tell
the wonderful news to Mrs. Byram.

Fred's mother was not as elated as the boys thought the occasion
demanded, but when the miners arrived, and appeared to be so sanguine
that the discovery would be of great pecuniary benefit to those who made
it she became greatly interested.

The main question was how to raise the necessary money with which to
purchase the land, and this had not been answered when the party broke
up at a late hour.

"We'll figger it out somehow," Bill said as the visitors arose to
depart. "It's been sprung so sudden like that we haven't had time. Joe
an' me will learn who owns the land first, an' then some of us'll get a
bright idee."

With these cheering words the meeting was adjourned, and Sam and Fred
went to bed to dream of becoming millionaires through the accident which
befell the latter as he fell over the spur of coal.

Next morning, however, they awoke to the fact that the day's provisions
depended upon their labors in the store, and as this was also the first
step toward earning sufficient money with which to buy the land, both
were on hand at an unusually early hour.

"I want you to go over to Blacktown bank," Mr. Wright said to Sam when
he entered the building. "The train leaves in half an hour, and since
you can return by the same conveyance there is no reason why I should
give two boys a holiday, as I did yesterday."

"I will be ready in time, sir," Sam replied, and Fred whispered:

"Why not walk home, and see if anybody has been fooling around the spur
we found."

"That's jest what I'll do, providin' it is possible to get back before
the train is due. There can't be any kickin' if I'm here an hour or two
ahead of time."

A package of papers and a bank book was given to Sam by the cashier, who
said, warningly:

"Here are two thousand dollars in checks, and you are to bring back
eight hundred dollars in change. Be careful what you do, and come home
on the first train after the business has been done."

"I don't reckon any one would kick if I walked instead of waitin' until
afternoon for the cars," Sam said as he took the documents.

"It isn't very safe to come across the mountains with so much cash; but
I don't suppose there is any danger," the man replied, and Sam glanced
meaningly at Fred as he left the building.

"I wish I hadn't said anything to him about looking at the vein," Fred
muttered to himself as his companion disappeare