“That’s about what I expect to do, Mr. Riley,” remarked Frank, gleefully. “And since they already trust me, I expect to have little trouble in patching up a lasting truce with the men of the Cherry Blossom mine. Why, perhaps in a day or two, my chum and I will be taking the back trail to Circle Ranch.”
The deposed foreman looked around him cautiously, and Bob was struck by something of mystery in his actions. Then he leaned forward, and plucked Frank by the sleeve.
“It might be you will not be leaving for home as soon as you thought, Frank,” he said, suggestively.
“Why not, Mr. Riley; what’s to hinder us?” asked the boy, earnestly.
“Why, I’m thinking that perhaps you’d feel inclined to stay a little while longer, and see if you couldn’t recover it,” Mr. Riley remarked.
“Recover what?” Frank asked.
“The treasure that has been stolen from the strong room in the office of Cherry Blossom mine,” came the astonishing reply.
“Treasure!” echoed Frank. “Do you mean to tell me there has been a robbery as well as a strike here?”
“Just that, Frank,” replied the other, moodily. “All the clean-up of the month, some two hundred pounds of gold, has been stolen, and the robbers are by now far away from here!”