This was done, and they started to go ahead once more. They had covered only fifty feet when Jack suddenly came to a halt as if electrified.
“Well, I never!” he gasped, after a look ahead and then a look behind.
“What’s up now?” asked Andy and Pepper, in a breath.
“Do you remember Mr. Strong’s story about that hidden pot of gold?”
“Certainly,” said Andy.
“You don’t mean——” began Pepper.
“Don’t you remember that his great-grandfather left a letter, stating the pot of gold was hidden under the tree that had the stone in its roots,—the tree that stood twenty paces north cf the old well?”
“Yes.”
“Well, yonder is the old well, and here is the stone, about twenty paces north of it. The tree blew down years ago, but here is a part of the stump.”
“And do you think the pot of gold is there?” almost shouted Pepper.