or some days. He watched by the
hour, he questioned every man, woman and child he met, but the
professor and his men were not talking. The location work on the
Orphan Annie claim and the digging of a tunnel seemed to be their only
interest.

Kie noticed that a monument had been built to cover the claim where the
tunnel was being driven and smiled to himself. "These city fellows
think they've got a mine with a couple of claims. They've got a lot to
learn!"

The secret had to come out, of course. And when Kie Wicks heard it a
few days later, he was wild with fury.

"Digging for treasure, are they?" he snorted. "I'll get them yet,
those two-faced, underhanded robbers. They haven't got no business in
these mountains. I'll show them!"

"If they've found a treasure, it's _mine_! I've hunted for it for
years! I'll get it somehow!" Kie Wicks was almost beside himself with
rage when he reached the store and told his discovery to Maude.

"Oh, maybe it's not the treasure," Maude tried to soothe the angry man.
"Come eat your supper."

But Kie was too unhappy to eat. He glared about the cheerless kitchen
and did not seem to see anything. He stared moodily. Finally he rose
and went outside, grumbling like a spoiled child.

He sat for a long time, his head in his hands, not looking up to greet
his customers.

"What's the matter with the old man?" inquired a neighbor. "'T ain't
often you see Kie Wicks sick or under the weather."

"Somebody's stolen some property from him, and he's thinkin' out a way
to get even. Let him alone," counselled Maude. "The more down he
seems, the better schemes he can think up. And this one will be a
dandy. He ain't eat a bite and he won't talk." Maude seemed quite
elated.

It was not until some hours later that Kie came to life once more and
demanded his supper. On his face was a determined scowl, as if he were
ready to challenge the whole world. As he went into the store he was
whistling cheerfully.

Maude smiled at him. But no words were exchanged. That smile
expressed everything. Kie had a scheme, a big one, and Maude could
afford to wait until he was ready to tell her what it was all about.

Meanwhile on the hill near Orphan Annie, the professor was dreaming of
Indian villages and treasure, and with the two watchmen beside him, had
no uneasiness.

CHAPTER XVI

_MISSING_

The boys were still asleep the next morning when the professor got up
quietly and