THE SEARCH
The mountain of the Lost Mine, as it may be called for the purposes of identification, did not seem more than half a day’s journey from the divide where the boys first saw it, but it took them two days of hard marching before they reached its vicinity, so deceitful are the distances in the high altitudes.
Now, behold them, camped in a shallow little valley, between two spurs of the Lost Mine mountain, their tent pitched on a small shelf back from a little stream that went singing along to a larger one, between its willow bushes, and over glistening boulders of polished granite. There was a growth of grass on either side of the creek, where the horses could graze. Altogether it was a restful place to camp in, after the grandeur of the great mountains that had surrounded them, and the savage gorges they had ridden through. There was a sense of rest and satisfaction that the Frontier Boys felt in having arrived at the goal of their long journey by land and sea. True, they did not know exactly the position of the Lost Mine, but they hoped to find it with the help of the diagram which they were fortunate enough to possess.
“Let’s have a look at that faded heirloom of yours,” said Jim to Jeems, as they sat on some rocks around the campfire, on the evening of their arrival.
“All right, Skipper,” said Jeems cheerfully. Then he took his faded coat and carefully unpinned the inside pocket, and put in his hand and pulled out nothing.
“It’s gone,” he exclaimed, his face paling. “I’ve been robbed.”
“I bet it was those Greasers,” declared Jo, hastily, but with conviction. Jim looked at brothers Jo and Tom narrowly, then he put a heavy and accusing hand on their joint shoulders, or their shoulder joints, if you prefer it that way.
“You are the Greasers,” he said severely. “Now cough up.” Jo reached down guiltily into his pistol pocket and fished up the required document.
“I don’t know exactly what to do with these fellows,” said Jim magisterially, giving them each a shake under his big clutch.
“Leave us alone! That’s what you can do,” said Tom grumpily, but Jim went on without noticing Tom’s remark.