“I think I had a peep into that chamber!” Jack exclaimed.
“So far as I can understand, the treasure chamber is the one you boys saw,” Mr. Bosworth went on, “and you were lucky to get out alive, too,” he added. “Only the arrival of Ned and Jimmie protected you.”
“That’s more than Toombs did—get out alive!” Jimmie suggested.
“When, at some time in the near future, the water is turned back into the other channel,” Mr. Bosworth said, “the body of Toombs will be taken out and given reverent and decent burial. That is all that can be done for him now. His companions in New York will never know his fate.”
The boys sat by the campfire late that night, discussing plans and occasionally referring some disputed point to Mr. Bosworth.
“Why, lads,” laughed the lawyer, “I’ve given you my best advice, and that is that you take your vacation in some less dangerous locality. However, if you won’t follow my line of thought, my next best advice is for you to remain in this camp and breathe mountain air, and hunt squirrels, and deer, and bear, for a month and then return to New York.”
“Think of a person remaining here when he might go back to the big city!” exclaimed Gilroy. “Why,” he continued, “the half-breeds are likely to break out again at any moment.”
“The half-breeds deserted when Huga was killed,” Norman replied. “They were brought here on day wages, and will never show up again.”
“And what are we going to do with Norman?” asked Jack, his attention called to the boy by the remark.
“Bring him back to New York with you,” replied Mr. Bosworth, “and I will take pleasure in looking after his future, also that of his sister.”