“The treasure chest of Blue Rock, provided there is such a thing, which, as you know, I very much doubt,” said Tinny, “wouldn’t be here at all. I’m willing to admit that a stage coach did go over the cliff, but that accident happened miles from here.”
“But some one is coming,” remarked Jerry.
There was no question about that, and presently they saw who it was, a party of miners journeying along in one of the rough wagons used to transport ores to the stamp mills.
“Well, it isn’t Noddy’s crowd, anyhow,” said Bob.
“But maybe they saw him,” suggested Ned.
“We’d better question them,” decided Tinny.
Accordingly the party was hailed. The driver pulled in his team, and though the men looked rather curiously at the party, especially at Professor Snodgrass, who had in each hand a half-dead bug he had rescued from his wreck, they did not express what they must have felt.
Without giving too many particulars of the kidnaping, Tinny told what their object was and asked if the miners had seen the Noddy Nixon crowd.
“No, we haven’t passed any outfit like that,” said the driver. “Have we, boys?”
“Nope!” came the chorus from the miners.