"I tell you, Jack, I don't like to show this to Mr. Banta," declared Julian, holding up the bag, and looking ruefully at it. "Perhaps we have done all our best digging all for nothing."
"Well, it can't be helped," was Jack's reply. "They were inexperienced when they first came out here, and there was nobody to tell them whether they had iron pyrites or gold. But we have done one thing that he can't laugh at—we have worked the haunted mine."
Two weeks had never passed so slowly to the boys before. They worked early and late, but they found time now and then to glance toward the entrance of the valley, to see if Mr. Banta was approaching. All this while the bag grew heavier and fuller, until Julian declared that it would not hold another spoonful.
"Then we must tie it up tight and hide it somewhere," said Jack.
"What is the use of hiding it?" asked Julian. "Nobody knows that we have been so successful in our haunted mine."
"No matter; such things have happened, and we want to be on the safe side. We must hide it a little way from the lean-to, for there is the first place anybody will look for it."
Julian readily gave in, although he could not see any necessity for it, took a spade, and went with Jack to what he considered to be a good hiding-place. A hole was dug, the bag put in, some leaves were scattered over the spot, and then Jack drew a long breath of relief.
"One would think we are surrounded by robbers," said Julian. "Who do you suppose is going to steal it?"
"I don't know; but I have never had so much money, or what is equivalent to money, in my charge before, and, as I said before, I think it best to be on the safe side."
"Our two weeks have passed, and Mr. Banta ought to be here to-morrow," observed Julian, leading the way back to the lean-to. "I expect he will look for us to be all chawed up."