ken until the two arrived at the newly-discovered vein.

Here a party of surveyors were running imaginary lines and measuring
distances, as they referred from time to time to several formidable
looking documents, and Joe said, bitterly:

"Wright is gettin' ready for the fight. If we had plenty of money I
wouldn't feel so bad; but unless the lawyer can borrow some for us,
we're likely to come out the little end of the horn."

"We shall soon know all about it," and Fred continued the journey at a
swift pace.

Mr. Hunter was in his office when the partners arrived, and the
expression on his face was not such as to inspire courage.

"I didn't expected you so soon," he said, motioning them to be seated.

"We walked over rather than wait for the cars," Fred replied.

"I was sorry to summon you on such sorry business but Superintendent
Wright has begun a fight for the possession of the land, and some of our
prospective stockholders are alarmed by the attack."

"Has he really got any hold on the property?"

"He claims that the company's deeds give them title to the entire
mountain."

"Then how did it happen that the farmer could sell?"

"It all hinges upon the question of survey. If the lines run twenty
years ago are incorrect, as he claims, then the land you bought is
located in the valley, and in that event not worth half you paid for
it."

"What does the farmer say?" Joe asked.

"I fancy Mr. Wright has bribed him to forget where his property was. Two
days ago he had a very clear idea of the location, but this morning he
thinks Mr. Wright is correct. In fact, he is almost ready to swear he
owned land only in the valley."

"He told me exactly where it was situated, an' we bought with the
positive understandin' that he was sellin' a tract on the mountain," Joe
said.

"That is one of the questions I wanted to decide. If he made those
representations, we may force him to tell the truth rather than stand a
suit for obtaining money under false representations."

Fred thought it was time to tell of Mr. Wright's proposition, and when
he had finished the story the lawyer said with a look of positive
relief:

"I'm glad to hear that. We will force them to show their hands by asking
an immediate trial for Thorpe."

"But suppose he should be convicted?" Fred cried. "Skip is not at home,
and we need his evidence."

"We must take that risk, rather than allow them time to work up a worse
plot."

CHAPTER XXXI