“Yes; you probably know he and Morton are intending to stop here on their return?”
“Yes; Mort, as soon as he found you were here, and especially after I gave him an inkling of what was going on, said he should certainly stop as he came back. You ought to have seen him though, when I told him you were out here! Good gracious! he was simply thunderstruck! He said Ned had been writing all along about a Houston, from Chicago, that he had met on the train, and that he was a fine fellow, and all that; but of course he never dreamed it was you.”
The remainder of the day passed very swiftly, for there was much to be done. After dinner, Houston and Van Dorn went down to the mills and superintended the unloading and unpacking of the machinery; then, as it was too late in the day to begin preparations for its erection, Houston visited the mines, Van Dorn accompanying him only a little way into the main shaft. As they came out together, half an hour later, and started for the office, Van Dorn drew a small piece of ore from his pocket, saying:
“I’ve discovered now where that fine ore on the dump of the famous Sunrise lode came from.”
“Yes,” said Houston, “and you will make other discoveries, shortly.”
At the office there was much to be said on both sides; Van Dorn giving his friend messages and directions from Mr. Cameron, and giving also the particulars of his interview with the company, and how he had finally obtained their consent for the erection of the machinery at their mills.
Houston, on his part, related what he had been doing in the few weeks intervening since Van Dorn’s former visit, and explained his new position as assistant superintendent of the group of mines in which they were most interested.
Van Dorn whistled; “That’s good!” he exclaimed, “I wondered how it was that you were going in and out among the mines in that way, I thought that was something new. Have you found any one whom we can trust to help us?”
In reply, Houston told his friend of Jack, of his experience and skill as a miner, and of his offer to help them.
Van Dorn was greatly interested, and before they were aware, the afternoon had passed, and it was time to close the office and return to the house.