eader of the explorers, "we're bound to
enter the mine, now that we've come so many hundred miles, just to find
out the truth. Well, if those men are in there working, we stand a
chance of running across the lot, and that would spell trouble, you
know."

"For them, yes," remarked Jimmy, as he fondled the repeating rifle he
was carrying so proudly.

"Well," admitted Jack, "seems to me that we'll have to take the chances.
We certainly don't mean to throw up the sponge, when we're so near the
end of the race."

"I should say not!" breathed Teddy, who had considerable pugnacity in
his makeup, although not really what you would call a fighter, like
Jimmy.

"What's the use hanging around here, when that black opening invites us
to come on in?" Jimmy wanted to know.

"We'd better carry out our scheme, and trust to luck to see us through,"
Frank gave as his opinion.

Ned saw that all of his chums were apparently of one mind. Really, he
himself had not the least idea of backing down; his only thought had
been to consider what they were likely to run across, so as to be
prepared, like true scouts.

"You are all right," he observed, "and while we don't want to run up
against any new trouble, we mustn't let that stand in our way. Francois,
you and the chief lead off. And remember, everybody, to get down low
enough, so that you can't see a single tent. That's the only way to make
sure that some one in their camp won't see us."

Jimmy nodded his head, as if pleased that they did not mean to back
down; though he should have known Ned better than to suspect the other
of timidity.

The two guides started for the opening, with the rest trailing after
them, so that the column looked very much like a long snake in motion.

Of course, every fellow felt his nerves on edge with apprehension. It
was impossible to foretell what might happen. For all they knew, the
three men may have suspected that they had been followed, and were now
laying a clever trap, in order to take the explorers off their guard.

As they drew closer to the yawning mouth of the mine among the rocks,
Jimmy fancied that he saw a slight movement there. He could not make
sure, nor did he find it possible to prove his suspicion, and on this
account dared not try to attract the attention of Ned.

Perhaps, after all it was only some loose stone falling, or a small
animal brushing past, that had caught his eye. While Jimmy thus
reassured his rapidly beating heart,