The Ranger Boys and Their Reward

by Claude A. LaBelle

Some discussion ensued after this, and it was finally terminated by Nate’s reluctantly agreeing to take a share in the mine. He insisted, however, that if they went on this basis, he must be permitted to share and share alike in all expenses and take his chance of luck along with the boys. After some talk this was agreed to, and the boys wrote out a business-like memorandum, making Nate a partner in the venture.

Plans were then made for the outfitting. It was decided that since all were anxious to get at the business of mining, it would be a waste of time to build a shack, and the weather might not continue fine enough to use only a brush house. So a tent was to be purchased. They found that Denton had a large wall tent among his numerous articles in the general store.

There was little to be bought except necessary provisions, and these could be secured at Chester. The essential thing to be purchased was dynamite, and this too they found at Denton’s. It was something that he had occasion to sell often to the farmers, who used it to blow up stumps on the land that was gradually being cleared and used for farming.

Bright and early next morning they started for their mine. An auto was hired to carry them, and on account of the dynamite the long way around was taken.

“If we ever hit one of those bumps the way we did coming from Chester with Ruth and Simmons, we’d wake up in another world,” declared Garry. Goodbyes were said, and arrangements made for Ruth and her grandfather, together with Aunt Abbie to visit them and see the mine in operation.

They reached the mine about noon, and a camp site was selected about a hundred yards from the stony face where the tourmalines, if there were any really there, lay hidden. This spot was chosen because of the proximity of a forest stream; that would at once provide them with clear cold water, and a chance for a bit of trout fishing now and then.

Camping meant outdoor cooking again, and so Dick’s first thought was for the building of a proper stone camp fireplace.

Also he dug a hole, for they had brought shovels with them to use in the mining, and prepared a “beanhole” to use the next day. Practically all the afternoon was taken in making camp, and a visit was paid to the ledge and tomorrow’s operations were planned.

Phil was made “engineer in charge,” for his hours at the library had told him nearly all there was to know about the mining of tourmalines. As they sat around the campfire after supper, Phil explained the process.

“It shouldn’t really be called mining; it’s almost too simple an operation for that. Tourmalines are generally found in pockets in crumbling places in a ledge of rock, or are often found in the sandy subsoil. No instance in this country has been known where they were found at a greater depth than eight feet. Also there is little or no way of determining where there is a geological likelihood of their being located, as in the case of oil, when a geologist can tell whether the formation is that which denotes the presence of oil. Lepidolite, followed by smoky quartz and feldspar is a pretty good indication, however, of their presence.”