“Yes,” assented the others, “we’re jist as pleased as though we had never heard of the cave afore.”
“Thar’s plinty of goold thar, is thar?” continued Teddy, in his eager way.
“Yes; I have been in the cave more than once, and have seen that there is an abundance—far more than you can carry away with you.”
“And haven’t yer taken any?”
“Not an ounce.”
“Why don’t yees?”
“That for which I was searching,” replied Hammond, with a smile, “was worth more to me than all the gold in the Rocky Mountains.”
“Spoken like a thrue lover; jist as I always respictfully mintioned the name of me love; but doesn’t yees intind to take any of the yaller stuff wid yer.”
“Well, perhaps I may pick out a few chunks, although I ain’t particular.”
Teddy now renewed his proposition to search the cavern at night. They could build a fire within it, and secure all the gold that was convenient to carry, and by daylight be ready to start on their homeward journey, while if they waited until the morrow, they would doubtless have to make a desperate fight with the Blackfeet, and very likely would be driven away entirely.