“Huga, Toombs’ right-hand man, was killed at the pit, and the old man is wild with anger. He can’t control the half-breeds without Huga. They have already deserted him. In fact, there is only one person with him at the old mission now, and that is a Hoola Indian named Sigma. This Indian is one of the descendants of the tribe of Indians which long claimed this property as their own under a grant from the Mexican government. He is said to know more about the mountains hereabouts than any other living person.”
“Is he a real Hoola Indian?” asked Frank, rather anxiously.
“He is said to be,” answered Norman.
“Are there other Hoolas about?” demanded Jack.
“A few have been seen—perhaps less than a dozen.”
“Then if there really should be an extensive deposit of gold in this section,” Frank asked, “this Sigma might know something about it?”
“He would know about it if any one did.”
Frank beckoned Ned and Jack to one side where they could talk without being overheard by the others. Then Frank very briefly explained the discovery of the gold chamber and added:
“If this Hoola Indian knows all about the deposit of gold, he’ll tell Toombs, and the New York bunch will get possession of it in some way. Now, what are we going to do?”
“Perhaps we’d better hear Norman out first,” Ned said, after expressing surprise that such a store of gold should remain so long undiscovered by the seekers after the precious metal. “Norman may know something more concerning this Indian.”