"I say let's go around some other way," suggested Frank, who felt much of the same spirit.
"It's no use," counselled Billy. "They've got the upper hand now. But our time will come."
"Why, there's only two of 'em," said Frank. "I guess we could manage 'em if it came to a fight."
"No, it wouldn't be wise," said Billy. "Besides, look over there," and as they came opposite the opening in the dam where they could see through to Golden Peak, they beheld a number of men on horses riding about. "There are too many for us. They must have something big under way. The best thing to do is to hurry back and tell my uncle. He may be able to get ahead of 'em yet."
"And to think that we were almost there and had to turn back," said Frank.
"We might have found the treasure," added Andy. "I wonder what those fellows think it is, anyhow?"
"Oh it must be a deposit of gold ore; at least, that is the rumor," said Billy. "You see this section of the country is not far from Colorado, and you know there is gold there. Maybe in the ancient geological times, before this world was quite made, some gold ore got into this mountain. I know it's been called Golden Peak for a good many years. The Indians used to have that same name for it. But no one that I ever heard of, except that man who went crazy, ever got any gold out of it, though lots of prospectors have had a try for it.
"Now these fellows imagine there's a fortune in it and they don't want my uncle to put it under water in his irrigation lake. But it's all bosh!"
"It looks as if there'd be a fight over it," suggested Frank.
"Yes, and it's too bad," went on Billy. "We need the water for the ranch, and so do the others who are depending on it. Yet, as long as this dispute keeps up, we can't do anything."