y, it's a great discovery."

"What do you think of its value?"

"It depends upon the weight, but from your description I should say we
had a ten-thousand-dollar find."

Desmond's eyes opened wide, and after a moment he asked:

"Does it really belong to us?"

"It does certainly; I am really the appointed heir of the old Mexican,
but anyway treasure-trove goes to the finder who can establish a right
to it."

"We can," said Brooks.

"You bet we can, and it is ours, but it's strange how the old Mexican's
secret has been opened up. Here I've had five years to search for this
gold and failed to find it, and this lad gets on to it in one day."

"It was a mere chance."

"Well, yes, to a certain extent; but if you had not been so persistent
you would not have developed the chance and made the find possible."

"How did the old man accumulate this gold?"

"It's plain enough; he has known some stream and has washed it, and
possibly it took him ten years to gather the heap you found there; but
how well he did it!"

"He did, sure."

"How shall we make a divide?"

"Easy enough if you will let me make a suggestion."

"Certainly."

"We will carry it all out here; we run no risk, no one will ever
penetrate to this retreat; then when we have it all carted out here we
will divide it, a coffee cup full at time."

"Good enough; that suits me."

"But wait; I've a better proposition if you will accept it."

"Go ahead."

"Let's leave it where it is, go on to my mine, and if it amounts to
anything we will have the capital to work it ourselves."

Desmond glanced at Brooks, and the man said:

"That is a good proposition."

Brooks was less suspicious than Desmond, but the lad determined to
accede to the proposition, and it was decided that on the following
morning they would start for Creedon's mine, and the guide said:

"We will start before daylight."

"Why?"

"We had better cross the chasm in the dark; I am afraid you would hardly
recross it if you were to behold once what would be underneath you."

It was so decided.

The party made all their preparations and on the following morning,
before daylight, with the aid of Creedon's ladder the party crossed the
chasm and proceeded on their way toward the place where Creedon's mine
was located. They managed to secure enough game which they cooked and
had for food, and commenced their long march, and it was a long march.
They had been five days on the tramp, and st