on as he stood facing me.

I did not answer.

"And we shall have to look pretty sharp to get the rest away," he
continued, prophetically.

"Never mind the gold, Tom," I said, with a strange uneasy feeling
troubling me. "Let us first see what has become of my uncle."

CHAPTER THIRTY NINE.

MISSING.

Going out to one of the sheds across the yard I called together the
Indians who were regularly employed as labourers on the farm, and told
them that their master was wanted directly on business, requesting them
all to spread themselves over the cultivated land, and to try and find
him.

To my utter astonishment the elder of the party raised one hand with the
palm outwards, uttered a few words, and one and all the Indians returned
to their work.

"They didn't understand you, Mas'r Harry," said Tom. "Tell them again."

I spoke to the men once more, but they maintained a gloomy silence.
Then, and then only, I resorted to threats, to find a wonderful
unanimity of purpose amongst them, for every man's hand in an instant
was on his knife, and they were evidently prepared to offer a fierce
resistance.

"Come away, Mas'r Harry," said Tom uneasily; "we don't want no fighting
now; but this seems rum, the men turning like that all of a sudden."

"I'm afraid that there's a sort of freemasonry existing amongst them,
Tom," I said, "and these men are evidently under orders. But let us see
whether my uncle has returned, for I begin to be afraid that this gold
is about to bring a curse with it."

"I don't believe in no curses, Mas'r Harry; but we ain't a-going to be
allowed to get it away without a deal of dodging, and perhaps a
scrimmage. They've got part of it back, Mas'r Harry, but I don't think
they'll get the big lot unless we go and show them where we've stowed it
away." I hurried into the house to find that the old notary had fallen
asleep, while my aunt was uneasily walking about. "Have you found him,
Harry?" she exclaimed. "Not yet, Aunt. I thought he might have
returned." Without waiting to hear her reply I ran back to Tom, who was
watching the Indians.

"Look here, Mas'r Harry," he exclaimed. "Here's just the very spot
where we left your uncle, isn't it?"

"Yes," I said.

"Well, this is just in view of those Indian chaps, and so is the way
into the house all in full view of them."

"Quite right, Tom."

"Well, nothing couldn't have taken place without them seeing it. But
something did take plac