dge or seam of gold from running up into these
hills, or small mountains, and cropping out in that cave? What's to
prevent?"

"Nothing!" came from Billee, a new light in his eyes.

"It would be very natural, I think," added Nort.

"That would account for what Bud saw--the men picking away at the stone
sides of the cave," went on Dick. "And the roof and sides are of
rock--that my brother and I saw."

"Then we're on the right track!" cried Snake joyfully. "I been tryin'
to figger out what all this meant, but I see it now. The other poison
attacks, where cattle and men died, didn't have nothin' to do with the
gas we just now ran away from. Somebody else must have been the blame
of that, or maybe it wasn't poison gas at all--might 'a' been just bad
water or loco-weed. But this is different."

"Yes," agreed Nort, "this is different. We know, positively, that this
gas attack was launched by men."

"Men who want to keep us out of that cave 'cause it's full of gold!"
murmured Old Billee. "Boys, for once I see daylight ahead of me! I'm
goin' to turn miner! I'm through nursin' cattle! I'm goin' to dig
gold and retire rich! By golly, I am!"

"You better wait until we see the color of pay dirt!" chuckled Snake.

"And until we get those fellows out!" added another cowboy.

"Oh, we'll git them out soon as we have them gas masks!" declared
Billee, who seldom had shown such enthusiasm. "By golly, at last I see
daylight! I'll soon lay this on the shelf," and he patted his old
lariat.

"I hope he isn't disappointed," murmured Dick to his brother.

"Do you really believe there's a chance of finding gold in that cave?"
Nort asked in a low voice.

"I really do. Why else would those fellows want to keep us out? It
can't be that it's a mere cattle-rustling game."

"No," admitted Nort, "I don't believe it's that. But--gold! Seems
sort of far-fetched."

"Well, maybe I'm wrong," went on Dick. "But we'll soon find out, if
those gas masks are any good."

On the way back to the circle of ranch buildings a close lookout was
kept for any sign of intruders on the range of Dot and Dash. But no
strangers were seen, nor did a casual survey of the various herds
scattered over the plains disclose any casualties.

"I guess everything that happens takes place around Smugglers' Gulch,"
observed Dick.

"Seems so," admitted his brother.

No one had suffered any serious results from the gas attack. It had
been discove