“Nature certainly never formed that,” said Leo. “Ah! there are marks upon it!”
The boy was right. Upon one side of the stone were several cuts, resembling, for all the world, Chinese hieroglyphics.
“That’s very strange,” remarked Dick.
“We are on the eve of a great discovery—mark my words, gentlemen,” said the professor, in a manner of excitement.
“I don’t see why,” ventured the Yankee.
“You don’t? How do you suppose this thing came here, then?”
“Somebody has been here afore, most likely.”
“That’s it, exactly; somebody has been here before, and those who have must certainly live in this neighborhood. Let us look about and see if we can find anything more.”
“Humph!” retorted Haypole; “suppose we do find something. What’ll it amount to, anyhow?”
No one vouchsafed a reply, and leaving Lucky to get the morning meal ready, Leo, Dick and the professor began carefully searching about the ground.