, one can't foresee everything. I don't think there's any harm done,
though."

"I beg your pardon, Tom," I exclaimed, holding out my hand, "it was
ungenerous."

"All right, Mas'r Harry," he said, taking my hand awkwardly, as if I had
given him something to look at, and then he seemed to give it to me back
again, when, once more turning to our task, we threw out the sand close
under the rocky barrier, and it was well we did so, as will be seen in
the end.

"There's something here. I can feel it with my spade, Mas'r Harry,"
exclaimed Tom suddenly.

And then, moved by the same tremulous nervous feeling as myself, he
leapt out, and together we once more searched the vale with our eyes, to
see nothing, though, but the same flagging leaves and the quivering
motion of the bright transparent air. But as we descended once more, a
snorting, whinnying noise from the mules came from within, and in our
excitement and alarm we were about to thrust in the sand again to bury
our treasure, only reason told us of the folly of the act.

Spade in hand we ran into the gloom, and followed the winding of the
track to where the mules were tethered, to find them uneasy and
straining at their halters, as if something had alarmed them.

CHAPTER THIRTY THREE.

MICA OR GOLD.

"Ah! there's some one about, Mas'r Harry, I'm 'fear'd," whispered Tom.
"I wish we'd covered the stuff up again. What do you say to taking a
light and going right in?"

Tom's advice seemed so sensible that we ran back, fetched a candle and
the matches, got a light, and then carefully examined the cave, peering
wherever it seemed possible for any one to hide.

But our search was in vain, though we penetrated right to the point on
the great gulf, and peered into the dark arch. As far as we could see
all was silent, solemn, and grand, and we had nothing to fear from
behind us while we worked.

"Well, it's been a deal of bother, Mas'r Harry; but it's better than
thinking every moment that there's some one going to jump out on you."

The mules were quiet as we passed them on our way back, and we then
inspected the valley from the spot we called our observatory, but all
was still; and hastily seizing a spade, I was once more digging away,
Tom casting aside the sand I threw out.

The edge of the spade touched something now every time I thrust it in.
I had but to stoop and force in my fingers to feel the buried object;
but moved by that spirit which induces pe