er. "I want to scratch gravel as soon as anybody else, but I'm not
going to get off my base while the other feller's got the ball, not
much. My place is to follow wherever _you_ lead; and I understand my
business too, believe me."

They crawled back some little distance, until there seemed to be a good
chance to climb the hillside without being discovered. Now and then the
Indian, who led the column again, would pause to take his bearings, and
cast a quick, apprehensive look all around him. Plainly, Tamasjo did not
mean to forfeit the confidence which he knew the young white commander
placed in his ability as a cautious guide.

When they had gone far enough along the side of the rough hill, made up
for the most part of rocks that the Cree led them around as a rule,
rather than to attempt to scale them at the risk of being seen, they
once more changed their course, and headed to strike the place where all
that loose stone had come from.

A signal from Ned caused the other four scouts to take particular notice
of what they were coming to. It was certainly a black opening among the
rocks, with all the signs of a mine before it, even to some discarded
picks and shovels lying in confusion close by.

They could just see the tent colony below. Some of the boys were anxious
to get inside that opening, so as to find out what its secret might be;
Ned, however, did not wholly like the looks of things.

"I wish I knew where those three men had gone," he muttered so that Jack
heard, and looked at him inquiringly.

"Why, what's gone wrong now?" he inquired.

"Those men we tracked here have disappeared since we started to pass
around the camp," said the other. "I've been looking to get a glimpse of
them, and so far without any success."

"H'm! so much the better," whispered Jimmy, who was, of course, hovering
near, anxious to know everything that was going on. "I must say I
didn't like their looks, and particularly old Blackbeard. He had an iron
jaw and a scowl that would send a cold chill to your heart. Oh! if
they've gone away, let's laugh in our sleeves. I'd call it a good
riddance of very bad rubbish."

"And so far as I'm concerned," added Frank, "I wouldn't drop a single
tear if the whole shooting match of rascals dropped into Hudson Bay, and
couldn't swim a stroke."

"What's to pay, Ned?" persisted Jack, who knew that the other would not
feel the way he did without some good cause.

"It's only this," continued the l