Instinctively we all looked into the creek, and there I discovered that the water had gone muddy again.
"Look there, see that!" I pointed. "You know how clear that water has always been. And now see how riled it is."
They looked intently as if expecting to see Duran appear out of the stream as I had seemed to do.
"Aw, say now, what are you giving us?" said Ray.
Norris and Carlos were already moving up toward the spot where the water poured out of the cliff. But before they were half the way, the stream cleared again.
And then I went on to tell them how I had discovered the hole behind the little cascade. And they were open-mouthed till I had completed my narration of Duran's activities in that cavern in the cliff.
"Well now, and to think—" began Norris. "Anyway that proves that the gold mine is on a continuation of the creek where I found the colors. That creek goes into the rocks up there and comes out into some kind of a basin, and then goes into the cliffs again and comes out here, like a train going through two tunnels."
"Brava!" cried Ray. "Now you ought to have told us that yesterday, and saved all that trouble."
Norris had to penetrate the little cascade and see the beginning of the passage into the cliff. When he came out, it was decided to wait for night and the coming of Captain Marat and Robert, with the lantern, before going into the cavern. For, since Duran was working by day he would doubtless sleep at night.
"Well," said Ray, when we got to the camp. "I want to see what makes that thing so heavy."