“Thunder?” asked the professor sniffing the heavy, sultry air.
“Looks like it. Ef it is one, we’ll be glad of shelter. We git some hummers daown in these parts, I kin tell yer. They don’t come often, but when they do, by Chowder! they deliver ’em in large packages.”
As he spoke a few heavy drops of rain fell.
“Come on. Better hurry for the cave,” cried Lake, hastening forward with his sack of tools. They followed him, keeping as close to the cliff-face as they could. The ledge was narrow, and it was unpleasant to think of what a misstep would result in.
The cave proved to be a large one and reached back some distance into the rock. Its floor was littered with bowlders and earth, where Lake and Zeb Hunt had carried on their prospecting operations.
The professor picked up a bit of the stuff. In the dim light they could see the dull glint of metal in it. Lake watched the scientist curiously.
“Waal,” he said, “haow is it?”
“I cannot tell positively,” was the rejoinder, “but if it is all like this, it is worth considerable per ton.”
“Will she run two thousand dollars to the ton?” asked Lake curiously.
The professor shook his head.