“Of course,” Jimmie answered. “It wouldn’t be shining on the western slope of this blooming old dump if it hadn’t.”
“In half an hour or so, then,” Ned said, “we may be able to learn whether the outlaws have indeed taken their departure.”
“You go on in and see Frank and Jack,” Jimmie suggested, “and take the rope with you. They want to tell you something they’ve discovered. They wouldn’t tell me, but I’m positive that they’ve blundered on a deposit of gold. They look happy enough to have found a million.”
“I hope they haven’t said anything about it to Gilroy,” Ned replied.
“Gilroy?” repeated Jimmie scornfully. “Why that fat dub is scared stiff. He wouldn’t know the Constitution of the United States from a declaration of war right now.”
“Don’t go to getting into any scrapes while I’m gone,” Ned advised, as he turned away toward the tunnel. “You stand right here and keep watch until I come back.”
“I won’t breathe aloud!” promised Jimmie.
The meeting between Ned and the other boys was a joyous one. Each had been worried over the disappearance of the other. As for Gilroy, he welcomed the assembling of the boys as an indication that he was soon to be taken out of the dangerous situation in which he found himself.
“Now, boys,” Ned said, after the greetings were over, “we’ve got to get Harry up the incline and out of the pit, so we may as well be at it.”
“According to Gilroy,” Harry smiled, “there’s a band of Bashi Bazooks up there ready to mix with you the minute you show your faces.”