ut went
on, her eyes shining and her breath coming fast. When she had finished
she was almost as excited as Aaron Rushton himself.

They looked at each other in mutual congratulation, he rejoicing in the
unexpected windfall, she exulting in the part her boys had played in the
affair.

At that moment Mr. Mansfield Rushton, returning from business, strode
into the room. He tossed his hat on a chair and greeted his wife
affectionately.

"You seem to be conducting a correspondence school, judging from the
letters on hand," he said gaily.

He seemed to bring a flood of sunshine with him, and it was easy to see
where Fred and Teddy got their high spirits and joyous outlook on life.

"You'd never guess what's happened, Mansfield!" cried his wife. "We've
just got letters from the boys and there's the greatest news," she added
proudly.

"Let's see them," he said with quick interest.

"Read this one first," she said, thrusting Teddy's letter into his hand.

"Why!" he said in surprise, as he glanced at the address, "this is
directed to Aaron."

"Yes," Mrs. Rushton replied. She could not forbear the thrust and added:
"Aaron thought it was an apology."

Aaron Rushton squirmed in his chair a little uncomfortably.

"Never mind what I thought," he growled. "Go ahead, Mansfield, and then
we'll talk the matter over."

Mansfield Rushton's quick eye ran rapidly over the lines while the
others watched him.

"Hurrah for Fred and Teddy!" he cried at the end. "They're boys worth
having, eh, Agnes? What's your opinion, Aaron?" he added slyly.

"They've done very well in this case," his brother was forced to admit,
though it cost him a pang. "If this thing really pans out as I hope it
will, I'll see that they get a liberal share of what they turn up."

"Oh, they'll get all the pay they want in the fun of hunting for it,"
laughed their father. "I know if I were their age, there'd be nothing
that would suit me better than searching for hidden gold. I'm so much of
a boy even now, that if I were down there I'd go into the thing with the
same zest as the boys themselves."

"I'm going to write to them this very night," said Aaron, "and send them
a little money for current expenses. They may run across somebody who
can give them some information, and there's nothing like a little money
to make people talk."

"Well, I certainly hope you get this, Aaron," said his brother heartily.
"Twelve thousand dollars is a whole lot of money."