Tad laughed and stooped to pick up a stone. As he did so, he noticed an arrow cut into the 202rock at one side of the gulch, the point of the arrow aimed up the gulch.
“That’s queer,” muttered the boy. “I suppose it’s an Indian sign. This is a place of many mysteries.” He stooped to pick up the rusty-looking stone that had caught his glance. It was worn full of holes as if by the action of water and when he took it in his hand its heaviness aroused his curiosity. Opening his knife, he dug into the stone.
Tad’s face flushed a vivid red, and he uttered a sharp exclamation.
“What is it?” demanded Stacy.
“Nothing much. Maybe I’ve made a discovery. Don’t let’s idle here. Let’s go on and see if we can’t get our bear. This seems to be our lucky day,” said the boy, pocketing the stone and once more shouldering his rifle. “Come, mush, as Anvik would say.”
203CHAPTER XXI
CONCLUSION
Professor Zepplin had been closeted in his tent for an hour when he beckoned Tad Butler to enter.
“Boy, this rusty stone that you picked up is a gold nugget, worth, I should say, all of five hundred dollars!” cried the Professor excitedly. “Are there more of them, Tad?”
“I can’t say. I found this one on a bar where it was probably washed down. The place was once a stream, but it changed its course and is now some distance to the west. I’ve an idea that there’s gold in that sand-bar.”