They flashed their lanterns and torches into the crevice where Billy was working. It was only too true. After digging out a considerable quantity of the valuable earth, filled with gold, the seam, or vein, had come to an abrupt end.
"No more gold here," said Billy, digging his spade into the side of the cave.
"Maybe it crops out somewhere else," suggested Frank.
"In that case we'll have to have more tools, and help, to get at it," said the boy from the ranch. "We've reached our limit now."
"Let's try on the other side," suggested Andy. "There may be a vein there."
They looked—going carefully over the opposite side of the cavern—but no yellow streaks showed. It was as if all the gold had been collected in one narrow space.
"And we can't pass beyond the chasm in the floor of the cave," said Frank, referring to the big opening down which he had nearly fallen.
"Not without a bridge," said Andy. "But we can go back to the ranch, and come here again to look for more gold."
"Let's make sure of what we have, first," suggested Andy. "We ought to get this in shape to carry home."
Looking carefully into the big crack they had dug in the wall of the cave, to make certain that it contained no more of the precious metal, the boys proceeded to put into bags the treasure they already had. It was heavy, but they did not mind that, and, as it was about half pure gold, they figured that they had a goodly sum.