CHAPTER XXX
THE FORTUNE RECOVERED––CONCLUSION
As Dave, Roger, and Ben tramped through the tall grass to where was located a knoll of considerable size, the son of the Crumville real estate dealer related how he and Dunston Porter had arrived in the construction camp and how they had gotten Frank Andrews to show them in what direction our hero and the senator’s son had gone.
“We knew you were after Porton, and we hoped to catch sight of that rascal,” went on Ben, “but we didn’t dream that we were going to capture Ward and also those two men who are wanted for that raid on the Tolman ranch. And to think that one of the men is Ward’s father! He certainly must be a bad egg!”
“He is, Ben,” answered Dave. “And Ward is a chip of the old block.”
The chums were soon ascending the knoll, containing many rocks between which were dense clumps of chaparral. Here they had to advance with care so as not to turn an ankle or get their clothing torn.
Dave had hoped that the search for the missing 289 cases would be an easy one, but in that he was disappointed. The three chums walked all around the knoll several times without getting anything in the way of a clue as to where Porton’s cache was located.
“It’s a shame!” burst out Roger at length. “If we could only––” He looked quickly at Dave. “What do you see?”