"Let us go over to the tent," said Bob. "I am dying for a drink of water. Then we can look for poor Si."
They got out of the dirt and loose rocks as best they could and walked over to the fallen tent. Some round rocks were lying about and one had sent the tree trunk rolling down the hill, thus bringing down the canvas.
"The hole!" yelled Maybe Dixon, suddenly. "The hole! Somebody has dug up our gold!"
He pointed to the hole, and they all ran in that direction. The dirt was scattered in all directions and near at hand lay a pick and two shovels.
"It's empty!" muttered Mark, hoarsely.
"Empty?" echoed Bob, faintly. "Are you sure?"
"Yes, every one of our nuggets is gone and the gold dust, too!"