“And did he send you the stone and the bullet in the cabbage leaf—the bullet with the word ‘come’ on it?” Rick wanted to know.
“He did,” answered Uncle Tod. “So you puzzled out the ‘come’; did you? Not easy unless you happen to hit on it, but I happen to know Jake’s queer ways. He could just as well have rung the bell and told me that Sam wanted me to hurry out here.”
“What was the stone?” asked Rick.
“Piece of ore from this mine,” answered his uncle.
“Gold?” asked Mr. Campbell quickly.
“Copper,” was the reply, “though we hope to strike the yellow boys later on.”
“Won’t now—not with the river gone back on us,” declared Gloomy Sam, as the boys nicknamed him.
“Maybe we can get Lost River to flow again,” said Uncle Tod more cheerfully. “That’s why I sent for you, Rick. You helped me a lot in my salt mining,” he added, “and I believe you’re sort of lucky to have around a digging.”
“I think you’re right, Mr. Belmont,” observed Mr. Campbell. “Rick and Chot found my lost car,” and, briefly, he explained about the bank robbers.
“There! What’d I tell you?” cried Uncle Tod to his partner. “I said Rick was like a lucky penny to have around.”