“What’ll you take for that load of dirt?” taunted Bob, but Noddy did not answer.
“Better let him alone,” advised Jerry, as he started the auto again.
“Think he’ll make trouble?” asked Ned.
“Oh, he might try.”
“Ha! Ha!” laughed Andy Rush. “He was fooled all right. I was at the jewelry store when he took the dirt in. He said it was full of gold, and he asked the clerk how much he’d give for it. ‘Get out of here with that trash!’ the clerk yelled, and when Noddy spilled a lot of it on the floor, and on a lady’s dress, Mr. Smith, the proprietor, was so mad that he shoved Noddy and Bill out. Then Noddy fairly raved and I ran to tell you. I thought he might do you some harm.”
“Much obliged,” said Jerry, to the little chap. “I guess we can handle Noddy,” and yet Jerry felt a vague uneasiness as he thought of the sixty nuggets of gold, and recalled that Sim Fletcher might have overheard something about them.
[CHAPTER VI]
FORMING THE SYNDICATE
“Well, I guess they’ll come to a decision to-day,” remarked Bob Baker, as he tilted back in his chair, and looked across at his two chums, Ned and Jerry.