"This opening I have seen for some time," said Pierre. "The sand has been washing off the rock till it led me to believe that there was an opening large enough to enter. I removed the sand, and cleared away the stone, and was able to go in some distance towards the cliff. I went far enough to be in darkness. Let us enter."
Pierre took the lead, and lighting a lantern which he had left in the passage, he proceeded for some distance.
"At this place I cleared away a great deal of stone and broke up a rock which obstructed the passage. As you can see, I had much work to open the way. We are almost to the vein."
Their passage was now slightly upward and broader, and the huge stones over their heads were in close and firm contact, and supported the immense weight of rock which rested upon them.
It was not necessary to point out the location of the blue vein. As they came near enough for the light they carried to reach the wall of the island the color of the vein stood out against the dull hue of the adjoining rock. Winslow went near the vein and held the lantern close to it. The mineral was in the solid rock, and showed evidence of having been recently worked, for the breaks were fresh. All about the rock were scars and scratches belonging to an earlier period, and made by human agency, evidently with crude tools and long labor.
The vein itself, made damp by the moisture of the air, showed everywhere beautiful colors and shades of tinting, which changed and glowed like the eye of an animal in the dark. Blue and red, with a dominant cast of green, through the whole length of the narrow seam, gave its wonderful beauty to their eyes, and told, to Winslow at least, the great wealth that lay there undeveloped.
Winslow made an exclamation of surprise and delight.
"Your fortune is made, sir. This is the most beautiful opal I have ever seen in the rough. I think it will prove as fine as anything that can be found in the world."
"What is this?" said Pierre. "A knife; but not mine."
"It must have been left by the man whose tracks we saw outside."