THE CONSULTATION
It is not to be wondered at that the boys were in a perfect fever of
excitement because of their startling discovery.
They uncovered the spurs of pure coal sufficiently to learn that it was
a true vein, and, judging from the indications, there could be no
question but it extended over a large area just below the surface.
"Is it as good as that taken out at Farley's?" Fred asked, when they
ceased digging for a moment.
"I can't see any difference. Why, you and I alone could mine enough to
make us pretty near rich, for there's neither shaft nor slope to be
made."
"Do you suppose this land is valuable?"
"For farming purposes it isn't worth a cent, and unless the owner knows
what is here it could be bought for a song."
"What is the price of a song according to that estimate?"
"Well, say a thousand dollars for a hundred acres."
"But you wouldn't need as much in order to get at this vein."
"Buildings would be necessary after a while, an' you'd want a track to
get the coal into market."
"Don't you suppose we could manage to get a thousand dollars?"
"If you count on doin' it by workin' at Farley's, it would take about a
thousand years. All the money I can earn has to be used by the family
now that father isn't working."
"But can we do nothin'?"
"It does seem kinder tough to find a fortune, and not be able to take
advantage of it, but I can't figure out how we can turn it to account."
"Let's fill our pockets with these pieces, and tell Mr. Wright what
we've struck."
"Yes, an' before to-morrow night he'd own this whole tract. It would be
wiser to see what Bill an' Joe think about the chances of raisin'
money."
"Very well, we'll talk with them. It won't do to leave this uncovered,
an' I'm in a hurry to get back."
The earth was scraped, and above this the boys strewed branches and
leaves until one might have searched a long while without discovering
the secret.
Then, walking at their best pace, the successful prospectors continued
on toward Farley's, trying in vain to suppress their excitement.
Those whom they wished to consult were at the mine, and without even
stopping to tell Mrs. Byram of their discovery they went directly to the
slope.
Bill and Joe were in the second level, at some distance from the other
workmen when the boys arrived.
"What do you think of that?" Fred asked, excitedly, as he held out one
of his specimens.
Bill, supposing he was to see a rare sight, brought his cap-lamp close
to the object for a second, and then said angrily:
"Haven't you boys got anything better to do than bring coal in here for
us to look at? We see enough of that stuff without luggin' it around in
our pockets."
"But this didn't come from Farley's."
"Well, s'posin it didn't, what of that?" and Bill threw the coal far
down the drift.
"Not much, except that Sam and I found a vein three miles from any
settlement."
"What?" both the miners cried in the same breath, and Bill ran to pick
up what he had thrown away so contemptuously.
Fred began and Sam ended the story of the "find," and while they were
talking Bill turned the specimen over and over, saying when they
concluded:
"If as good coal as that shows at the surface it must be a big vein."
"It is, but how can we take advantage of the discovery? Sam thinks the
land could be bought for a thousand dollars."
"Then you must buy it."
"How could we raise so much money?"
"People don't allers pay cash for what they buy. You might get it for
two or three hundred dollars down, with a mortgage for the balance."
"Even then I don't see how it can be done."
"Nor I jest now, but we'll figure the thing out to-night at your house.
Joe an' me will be there after supper. Don't tell anyone except your
mother, 'nd when you boys are rich I speak for the job of breaker
boss."
Then Bill and Joe, hardly less excited than their younger companions,
resumed the interrupted labor, and the amateur prospectors went to tell
the wonderful news to Mrs. Byram.
Fred's mother was not as elated as the boys thought the occasion
demanded, but when the miners arrived, and appeared to be so sanguine
that the discovery would be of great pecuniary benefit to those who made
it she became greatly interested.
The main question was how to raise the necessary money with which to
purchase the land, and this had not been answered when the party broke
up at a late hour.
"We'll figger it out somehow," Bill said as the visitors arose to
depart. "It's been sprung so sudden like that we haven't had time. Joe
an' me will learn who owns the land first, an' then some of us'll get a
bright idee."
With these cheering words the meeting was adjourned, and Sam and Fred
went to bed to dream of becoming millionaires through the accident which
befell the latter as he fell over the spur of coal.
Next morning, however, they awoke to the fact that the day's provisions
depended upon their labors in the store, and as this was also the first
step toward earning sufficient money with which to buy the land, both
were on hand at an unusually early hour.
"I want you to go over to Blacktown bank," Mr. Wright said to Sam when
he entered the building. "The train leaves in half an hour, and since
you can return by the same conveyance there is no reason why I should
give two boys a holiday, as I did yesterday."
"I will be ready in time, sir," Sam replied, and Fred whispered:
"Why not walk home, and see if anybody has been fooling around the spur
we found."
"That's jest what I'll do, providin' it is possible to get back before
the train is due. There can't be any kickin' if I'm here an hour or two
ahead of time."
A package of papers and a bank book was given to Sam by the cashier, who
said, warningly:
"Here are two thousand dollars in checks, and you are to bring back
eight hundred dollars in change. Be careful what you do, and come home
on the first train after the business has been done."
"I don't reckon any one would kick if I walked instead of waitin' until
afternoon for the cars," Sam said as he took the documents.
"It isn't very safe to come across the mountains with so much cash; but
I don't suppose there is any danger," the man replied, and Sam glanced
meaningly at Fred as he left the building.
"I wish I hadn't said anything to him about looking at the vein," Fred
muttered to himself as his companion disappeared from view. "It would be
better if he came directly back without thinking of what will never
bring us in a cent of money."
It was too late now, however, to regret the words which had been spoken,
and Fred found plenty with which to busy himself during the remainder of
the day.
At noon a telegram came for Mr. Wright, and in response to what was
probably an imperative summons, he started for the city on the next
train; the one on which Sam would have returned had he not determined to
walk across the mountain.
An hour passed, and yet the messenger was absent.
"That boy has had time to travel twice the distance from Blacktown
here," the cashier said impatiently to Fred, and the latter could make
no reply, but he in turn was growing very anxious.
"How would it do for me to go and meet him?" he asked finally.
"That is foolish talk," was the petulant reply. "If he doesn't come soon
it will be best to send a sheriff's officer."
This remark was well calculated to make Fred yet more nervous. Not for a
moment did he believe Sam would do anything dishonest, and yet he should
have been back, even in case he had walked home, several hours before.
It was after sunset when the messenger finally made his appearance, and
Fred was about to greet him with words of jest, but the expression on
Sam's face caused him decided alarm.
"What is the matter?" he asked, anxiously.
"I have been robbed," was the reply, in a hoarse whisper.
"How?"
"I don't know. Coming across the mountain I laid down on the land we
wanted to buy, an' I fell asleep. When I awakened the money was gone,
an' that is all I know about it."
"Money gone, eh?" the bookkeeper cried. "What did you want to buy land
for?"
"That has nothing to do with the loss of the cash," Sam replied as he
looked the man full in the face. "I lost the package which was given me
at the bank, and have been hunting for it since noon."
"It will make considerable difference, as you'll find out before this
thing is cleared up," and the cashier moved toward the door as if to
prevent the boy from leaving the building. "Why not tell the truth, and
say you stole the money?"
"Because I didn't do anything of the kind."
"Tell that to the marines, for you can't make me believe it. Thieves
don't loaf around the mountain."
"They must have done so in this case, for I walked nearly back to
Blacktown, and should have found the package if it had fallen from my
pocket."
"Then where is it?"
"I don't know."
"Fred, go for a constable."
The cashier yet remained by the door, and now he held it open a few
inches that his order might be obeyed.
"Please don't do a thing like that," Fred cried, while Sam stood near
the desk pale as death, but every action breathing defiance.
"Do you think I'll let a boy steal eight hundred dollars, and do nothing
toward recovering it?"
"Wait until Mr. Wright comes back and see what he thinks."
"And in the meantime he or his accomplice will have had plenty of time
in which to carry the cash beyond our reach."
"But I am sure that what he tells is the truth."
"I don't believe a word of it. Such a thing never happened before, and
the thief sha'nt go free now if I can prevent it."
Fred was about to plead yet further for his friend, but the cashier
checked him by saying:
"Another word in his behalf and I shall believe you know something of
this very mysterious robbery. Will you go for the constable?"
"No, I won't move a step from this place until Mr. Wright comes back."
This show of friendship was not sufficient to save Sam from the ignominy
of an arrest. The cashier had hardly ceased speaking when one of the
miners made an attempt to enter the store, and the angry official sent
him for the guardian of the peace.
"You'll have a chance to go back to Blacktown, and it may be that you
will find the money on the way," he said, in a tone of irony.
Sam made no reply. Silent and motionless he awaited the coming of the
officer.