“We shan’t go blindly, sir; you may depend on that. We shall keep our eyes open pretty wide,” said Griggs, with a merry look at the boys. “Now, look here, gentlemen, I tell you I’ve been thinking all this out, and it seems to me that we can cut it all down into a small patch.”
“How?” said the doctor.
“By getting rid of all the outside useless bits of the job.”
“I don’t understand you,” cried Wilton. “Hard or easy, I’ve made up my mind to see the thing through; but just explain a little more what you mean, Griggs.”
“That’s right enough, sir; I will. Now, look here; we’ve got our map, or plan, or whatever you call it.”
“Yes,” said Bourne.
“It’s not very good writing, nor yet nicely finished off, but to my mind one thing’s very clear, and it’s this: wherever the ruined city is it must be somewhere that hasn’t been settled by emigrants and ranchers.”
“Certainly,” cried the doctor; “that’s clear.”
“Very well, then, sir; if you think a moment you’ll see that you clear away thousands o’ square miles of settled country at once, where we needn’t go to look.”
“Yes, he’s right there,” said Bourne. “Go on, Griggs.”