"Bah, Gringo dogs! You cannot harm me! I will see you again, Americanoes. This is not the last."
With an angry exclamation of disappointment and anger, Bushnell flung his empty revolvers on the sand at his feet.
"Dern me fer a fool!" he roared. "Ef I'd done my shootin' first an' my talkin' arterward, he wouldn't got away."
But Ferez had escaped, and they could only make the best of it.
When this was over and the excitement had subsided, they sat about the fire and discussed the situation. Frank then showed the golden image which Burk had given him, and explained how the dying man had told of the Silver Palace.
Bushnell listened quietly, a cloud on his face. At the conclusion of the story, he rose to his feet, saying:
"Ef Jack Burk made you his heir, thet goes, an' I ain't kickin' none whatever. Old Jack didn't hev no relatives, so he hed a right to make any galoot his heir. But thar's goin' ter be plenty of worry fer anybody as tries ter reach ther Silver Palace. How'd you 'spect ter git 'crost ther chasm?"
"As yet, I have not taken that into consideration. The kidnaping of Professor Scotch has banished thoughts of everything else from my mind."
"Wa'al, ef Jack Burk made you his heir, you're entitled ter your half of ther treasure, providin' you're ready ter stand your half of ther expenses ef we fail ter git thar."
"You may depend on me so far as that is concerned."