enterprise could
get any word to the head officials down in New York. Ned expected to be
home long before this would come about, for he knew how tedious it was
journeying for hundreds of miles over long stretches of waste land,
following the course of rivers, and often not covering twenty miles from
sun-up to the setting of the same.

During those long sunny days, it was a great pleasure to loll around on
deck and watch the wonderful ocean, over which the steam sealer was
steadily passing, headed toward Halifax, where the boys meant to
disembark.

They discussed every phase of the adventure, and many little matters
which had seemed a bit strange were cleared up when they could exchange
views. Ned also prepared his full report, showing just what was going
on up there in the wilds. He had ample proof of all he meant to relate,
even to samples of the real ore, and also of the "salted" stuff that was
being placed around the mine, in order to deceive any investigator,
should one be sent up to look about.

Of course, Mr. Bosworth would wash his hands of the entire business, and
the sly swindlers must look elsewhere, in order to unload their
property. The extravagant claims they had made for its richness could
not be justified, because it was after all a very mediocre discovery,
which would never pay for the working, so far away from railroad
facilities.

In due time, they arrived at the Nova Scotia port, where the boys were
taken ashore in one of the whale boats, because Captain Bill did not
want to risk seizure by entering the place.

They were sorry to have to say good-bye to the friendly skipper and his
mate, and promised to let them hear how things turned out.

Once ashore, the first thing Ned did was to send a cable to Mr.
Bosworth, telling him not to do anything until they got home, which
would be as soon as a ship sailed heading south.

Francois and the old Cree Indian left them here, after being loaded down
with presents, in addition to the wages promised them. The boys felt
that they could afford to be generous, because, as they had saved the
capitalists possibly a million or more dollars, the chances were that
quite a tidy sum of money would be coming their way soon, from the
grateful gentlemen forming the clique.

The balance of their trip was uneventful, and one day they came in
through the new Ambrose Channel and up past Liberty Island, making the
steamer's dock just as the sun was sinking behind the d