"Of course! And he is the nicest boy—as nice as Jim Latimer, anyway," retorted Eleanor.
Every one laughed, and Tom said: "Well, after paying my kid brother such a left-handed compliment, I feel I must continue my work on that mine problem."
"Give us a chance to finish our reports, won't you, before you tell us you gave away your interests, or launched us all in a will-contest," added John, laughingly. Then he continued:
"Now this is what we have to say about Choko's Find: The pyramids of trash now covering that area of Top Notch can be readily cleared away. We set fire to certain parts and opened a way to the ravine. There we found the old gulch literally filled in with rocks, earth and roots, so that we could not get through to find the cave. But we brought home bits of gold ore, just the same."
John rolled the nuggets across the table, and the girls gazed with bated breath at what they believed had been buried forever under the land-slide.
"We have much to tell you about this, so let's go to the living-room to talk," suggested Mr. Brewster, rising.