“I’ll read you this court order,” said the sheriff.
“You needn’t bother,” spoke the leader, whom the boys recognized as one of the men who had held Tommy a captive. Others in the gang were recognizable as men who had tried to capture Mr. Bell at Lost Lake.
“We played a bold game, but we lost,” said the leader, as he and his companions, gathering up their baggage, left the cabin, and made their way toward town. They did not go there, however,—since they feared further proceedings,—and were never heard of again.
“Hurrah, now we have our mine back again!” cried Jerry. “I wonder if it is paying?”
“Better than ever, by the looks of this stuff,” answered Jim Nestor, picking up some newly-mined ore that lay on ground. “No wonder that crowd wanted to keep possession of the mine.”
There followed a general jollification. The boys got up a fine dinner, at which the sheriff, his men, and the lawyer were guests. An arrangement was made whereby Mr. Bell should retain a large interest in the mine, while the other share was divided between our friends as before. The lawyer received a generous fee, and the sheriff and his men were not forgotten.
“Well,” said Jerry, a week later, “we came out all right, didn’t we? I presume our adventures are all over now.”
“Don’t be too sure,” put in Bob. “Something else may turn up soon.” And Bob was right, as we shall learn in another volume, to be called, “The Motor Boys Afloat; Or, The Stirring Cruise of the Dartaway,” a tale of land and sea.
The days to follow were busy ones for Jim Nestor and the boys. The mine was started up in better shape than ever before, new machinery put in, and extra workmen engaged. Letters were sent to the boys’ folks, telling of all that had happened.
“I want to say one thing,” said Jerry, one day. “And that is, that it feels mighty good to be back in the United States again.”