pebbly and rocky shore. For as far as Bart could judge, the walls
seemed to be about four hundred feet apart, though in the fading evening
light it was hard to tell anything for certain.

A more stupendous work of nature had never met Bart's eye, and his first
thoughts were natural enough--How should he manage to get to the top of
that flat mountain?--How should he be able to lower himself down into
the mysterious shades of that vast canyon, and wander amongst the
wonders that must for certain be hidden there?

Just then the Beaver spoke. He had evidently been taking lessons from
the interpreter, as, smiling loftily and half in pity at the eagerness
of men who could care for such a trifle as white ore when they had
horses and rifles, he pointed up at the perpendicular face of the
mountain and then downward at the wall of the canyon, and said:--

"Silver--silver. Beaver give his brother. Medicine-man."

"He means there is silver here, sir, and he gives it to you," said Bart
eagerly.

"Yes. Give. Silver," said the chief, nodding his head, and holding out
his hand, which the Doctor grasped, Bart doing the same by the other.

"I am very grateful," said the Doctor at last, while his eyes kept
wandering about, "but I see none."

"Silver--silver," said the chief again, as he looked up and then down,
ending by addressing some words in the Indian dialect to the
interpreter, who pointed in the direction of the camp.

"The Beaver-with-Sharp-Teeth says, let us eat," he said.

This brought back Bart's hunger so vividly to his recollection that he
laughed merrily and turned to go.

"Yes," he said, "let us eat by all means. Shall we come in the morning
and examine this place, sir?"

"Yes, Bart, we will," said the Doctor, as they turned back; "but I'm
afraid we shall be disappointed. What was that?"

"An Indian," said Bart. "I saw him glide amongst the rocks. Was it an
enemy?"

"No; impossible, I should say," replied the Doctor. "One of our own
party. Our friends here would have seen him if he had been an enemy,
long before we should."

"And so you think there is no silver here, sir?" said Bart.

"I can't tell yet, my boy. There may be, but these men know so little
about such things that I cannot help feeling doubtful. However, we
shall see, and if I am disappointed I shall know what to do."

"Try again, sir?" said Bart.

"Try again, my boy, for there is ample store in the mountains if we can
find it