The news was received in silence, each voyager occupied with his own viewpoint of the decision.
Clem was the first to speak.
"We've come a long way to get three dollars!" said he, with an attempt at jocularity.
Anton grinned assent. Like Clem, he knew nothing about gold-mining.
Otto waited, well aware that the final result lay between Owens, Juneau and Jim.
It was Jameine, with her book-knowledge of mining, who put the vital question.
"How many tons do you estimate there may be in the deposit, Mr. Juneau?"
"Impossible to say, exactly, especially when the island is masked under snow. But the prospects have been carefully chosen. They suggest about four hundred thousand tons in sight, and probably a good deal more. The gravel is an early Tertiary deposit, lying between two beds of carbonaceous slate, the lower of which is lignitic. Judging from the strike of the beds, the gold-bearing gravel runs down under the sea."
"Then," said the girl, slowly, "if there are four hundred thousand tons in sight, which would yield a net profit of three dollars a ton, you figure on over a million dollars, clear?"
"If modern machinery is put in and the mine is run on a business basis, I should say at least that. Possibly more!"