He was about to say more, but, remembering his recent promise to get out of the role of prophet of evil, he checked himself, much to the satisfaction of the others.
“Strictly speaking,” Frank resumed, “the cavern where the gold is, is not a cavern at all! There was once a cavern there, but it was filled with gold and the wash of the mountains, so it now presents a level surface to the eye of one entering the crater.”
“Is it above water at this time of the year?” asked the practical Clay.
“Yes, I think so. In order to reach the gold, one must enter one of the steam caverns and cut through to the one filled with gold and gravel. This is what has puzzled them all, for there are many of these steam holes, large and small, and one to investigate thoroughly would be obliged to examine the entire inner surface of each one. Father found the deposit by accident.”
“What about this Señor Lewiso,” asked Clay. “You spoke of him in connection with some action following the death of your father.”
“He found what purported to be a map of the crater,” answered the boy, “and began digging for the gold, which he knew to be there somewhere. I never objected to his quest, as he was all wrong, but let him go on while I looked for men I could trust to assist me in getting the gold out.”
“But he must have found some gold,” Jule argued, “for it took money to get that steamer and follow you when you went out.”
“He undoubtedly did,” Frank admitted, “but he did not discover the main body of it. At least it was intact when I left for Chicago.”
“Why Chicago?”
“Because I believed my father’s people to be there.”