Owens burst out. "How would I
get men and materials up here?"

The "Wizard" winked at Jim, who was growing restive.

"Wait till we get Owens ashore and start on the gold," he whispered.
"I've seen these backers get cold feet before, when they hit this
northern country for the first time. They're the worst to hold back,
often, after they once get going."

But Jim was thoroughly dissatisfied. There was more than a little
likelihood that the old prospector would make some scornful remark,
for he was in his own land now, and had all a "sour-dough's" contempt
for a "tenderfoot." But Jameine's hand was on his arm and he obeyed
the warning pressure.

The little motor-launch was lowered from the davits, with every member
of the party aboard. None of the sailors was taken, for Jim did not
want to run any risk of strangers taking up claims. The "Wizard" ran
the engine, and the yachtsman took the helm.

One piece of mechanism, small but very heavy, was lowered into the
boat. It sank her low in the water, but it belonged to the "Wizard"
and he was not the kind of man whose acts any one would question.
Picks, shovels, sledge-hammers, wedges, and dynamite were included in
the cargo. Thus heavily loaded, the boat reached the shore, Jim
pointing out the landing-place. It was not so easy to land as the
Wizard had suggested. It was necessary to wade through the sponge-ice,
churned up the shore, Jameine being carried in the huge arms of the,
"Wizard."

The snow on the island was almost knee-deep, but, except Owens, none
of the party minded. Jameine was the gayest of all.

"Lead on to the millions, Uncle Jim!" she cried.

But the old prospector made the girl take his arm.

"We'll git there fust, together!" he declared.

A few minutes tramping brought them to a depression in the snow.

"Here's the old glory-hole (an open pit, not a shaft), an' nobody's
been here!" he announced triumphantly. He grabbed pickaxe and shovel
and slithered in, with the confidence of a man who knew every inch of
the ground.

A few scoops of the shovel cleared away the snow.

Below, though overgrown with dry weeds of many seasons' growing, were
the infallible signs of human handiwork. Even the old sluice was
there, though fallen to pieces.

The others crowded around the glory-hole. The moment of test had come.

"Here, 'Wizard'," said Jim, when he had exposed the workings, "there's
where I was pannin' last. Jump in an' take a look."

The expert