roceeded to unlock the door.

"Go and call the boy!" said Fred.

Caesar disappeared within the cavern, and soon emerged with Rodney
following him.

"Are you unhurt?" asked Fred anxiously.

"Yes, and overjoyed to see you. How came you here?"

"We followed the nigger from Oreville."

What happened afterwards Rodney did not need to inquire, for the two
outstretched figures, stiffening in death, revealed it to him.

"They are the Dixon brothers, are they not?" asked Fred, turning to
Caesar.

"Yes, massa."

"Then we are entitled to a thousand dollars each for their capture. I
have never before shed blood, but I don't regret ending the career of
these scoundrels."

Half an hour later the two outlaws were dead and Rodney and his friends
were on their way back to Oreville.

CHAPTER XXXVI.

THE RODNEY MINE.

Rodney was received by Jefferson Pettigrew with open arms.

"Welcome home, boy!" he said. "I was very much worried about you."

"I was rather uneasy about myself," returned Rodney.

"Well, it's all over, and all's well that ends well. You are free and
there has been no money paid out. Fred and Otto have done a good thing
in ridding the world of the notorious Dixon brothers. They will be
well paid, for I understand there is a standing reward of one thousand
dollars for each of them dead or alive. I don't know but you ought
to have a share of this, for it was through you that the outlaws were
trapped."

"No, Mr. Pettigrew, they are welcome to the reward. If I am not mistaken
I shall make a good deal more out of it than they."

"What do you mean?"

Upon this Rodney told the story of what he had seen in the cavern.

"When I said I, I meant we, Mr. Pettigrew. I think if the gold there is
as plentiful as I think it is we shall do well to commence working it."

"It is yours, Rodney, by right of first discovery."

"I prefer that you should share it with me."

"We will go over tomorrow and make an examination. Was there any one
else who seemed to have a claim to the cave except the Dixons?"

"No. The negro, Caesar, will still be there, perhaps."

"We can easily get rid of him."

The next day the two friends went over to the cavern. Caesar was still
there, but he had an unsettled, restless look, and seemed undecided what
to do.

"What are you going to do, Caesar?" asked Pettigrew. "Are you going to
stay here?"

"I don't know, massa. I don't want to lib here. I'm afraid I'll see the
ghostes