"SALTING" THE MINE.
The Cree Indian showed by his manner that there was need of great care
in advancing any further. When the boys came creeping up to where he
crouched, they understood the meaning of his gestures of warning.
Smoke was rising, and they could see a number of dingy tents grouped in
a depression among the rocks. Evidently it was a camp of some sort,
though just then besides the three men they had tracked there hardly
seemed to be anybody around.
It was plain enough to Ned why this should be so, for he remembered
about the dozen men who had spent the preceding night at the river camp,
waiting for the coming of the canoes with the explorers. Those parties
undoubtedly belonged here, and were even now in hiding further down the
river, intending to play some prearranged scheme, with the idea of
either frightening the scouts off, or else hoodwinking the investigators
in some fashion.
"Ginger! but that was a good move of yours, Ned, to think of quitting
the boats and coming across lots to find the old mine," said Frank, in
a voice that could not be heard ten feet away.
The miners' camp was located on a brawling stream that came noisily down
the rough face of the rocks. This created more or less racket, so that
there was small danger of any hostile ears discovering the intruders
through any sound they were likely to make.
"I second the motion," added Jack. "Think how neat we left the crowd in
the lurch, and now we've found where the opening of this wonderful mine
is, we can take a look in, while the bunch is waiting for us to drop
down the river."
"That's what I meant to do when I started on this flank movement," Ned
assured them. "And I only hope we'll be able to learn all we want,
before the main lot make a change of base. It wouldn't be nice to have
them come tumbling in on us while we were inside the workings--if there
_is_ any hole in the ground at all."
"I reckon we'll find there is, all right," said Jack, confidently.
"Why d'ye say that, Jack?" asked Jimmy, who never allowed an opportunity
to quiz his chums pass by unimproved.
"Because I can see where a heap of rock has been dumped down a slide, so
chances are they've been doing some little work up here, enough to make
a showing, in case a party is sent up to investigate before buying
shares," was what Jack explained.
"You're right there," admitted Teddy, as he took another look toward the
side of the rocky hill close to the tent colony; "and after they'd
opened up the mine, it wouldn't be a hard job to shoot it, I should
think."
"What's that, shoot the mine, do you say?" asked Jimmy.
"Oh! that's only a term they use in mining countries when dishonest men
want to salt a mine, so as to deceive a prospective customer. Some say
they shoot gold or copper ore into crevices, where it will be taken out
later and shown."
At this point Ned gave them to understand that it was no time to enter
into any discussion concerning the methods of conducting frauds in
mining. They had work before them, and had better be about it without
any more delay, since there could be no telling at what time the absent
men might show up. Once they returned to the camp, of course, the
chances of the scouts accomplishing much began to dwindle enormously.
From where they lay, screened by some thin brush, the scouts were able
to observe the ground, and Ned could form his plan of campaign. He never
wasted much time when his hand had been placed to the plow. Following
the line of loose rock that had undoubtedly been carried out of some
working in the hillside, he believed he could settle on the exact
position of the opening.
They would have to make a detour and approach from above. Here it was to
be hoped they would find enough cover to enable them to make what Jimmy
called a "grand sneak" into the mouth of the mine.
In as few words as possible Ned explained this to the others, as they
clustered around him, hanging upon his every word. Jimmy could hardly be
restrained from hurrying off at once, so anxious did he seem to get
started. But when Ned took hold of his assistant's arm, and gave him one
of those looks which Jimmy knew so well, the little fellow subsided
immediately.
"Oh! I'm on to the curves, all right, Ned, sure I am," he hastened to
mutter. "I want to scratch gravel as soon as anybody else, but I'm not
going to get off my base while the other feller's got the ball, not
much. My place is to follow wherever _you_ lead; and I understand my
business too, believe me."
They crawled back some little distance, until there seemed to be a good
chance to climb the hillside without being discovered. Now and then the
Indian, who led the column again, would pause to take his bearings, and
cast a quick, apprehensive look all around him. Plainly, Tamasjo did not
mean to forfeit the confidence which he knew the young white commander
placed in his ability as a cautious guide.
When they had gone far enough along the side of the rough hill, made up
for the most part of rocks that the Cree led them around as a rule,
rather than to attempt to scale them at the risk of being seen, they
once more changed their course, and headed to strike the place where all
that loose stone had come from.
A signal from Ned caused the other four scouts to take particular notice
of what they were coming to. It was certainly a black opening among the
rocks, with all the signs of a mine before it, even to some discarded
picks and shovels lying in confusion close by.
They could just see the tent colony below. Some of the boys were anxious
to get inside that opening, so as to find out what its secret might be;
Ned, however, did not wholly like the looks of things.
"I wish I knew where those three men had gone," he muttered so that Jack
heard, and looked at him inquiringly.
"Why, what's gone wrong now?" he inquired.
"Those men we tracked here have disappeared since we started to pass
around the camp," said the other. "I've been looking to get a glimpse of
them, and so far without any success."
"H'm! so much the better," whispered Jimmy, who was, of course, hovering
near, anxious to know everything that was going on. "I must say I
didn't like their looks, and particularly old Blackbeard. He had an iron
jaw and a scowl that would send a cold chill to your heart. Oh! if
they've gone away, let's laugh in our sleeves. I'd call it a good
riddance of very bad rubbish."
"And so far as I'm concerned," added Frank, "I wouldn't drop a single
tear if the whole shooting match of rascals dropped into Hudson Bay, and
couldn't swim a stroke."
"What's to pay, Ned?" persisted Jack, who knew that the other would not
feel the way he did without some good cause.
"It's only this," continued the leader of the explorers, "we're bound to
enter the mine, now that we've come so many hundred miles, just to find
out the truth. Well, if those men are in there working, we stand a
chance of running across the lot, and that would spell trouble, you
know."
"For them, yes," remarked Jimmy, as he fondled the repeating rifle he
was carrying so proudly.
"Well," admitted Jack, "seems to me that we'll have to take the chances.
We certainly don't mean to throw up the sponge, when we're so near the
end of the race."
"I should say not!" breathed Teddy, who had considerable pugnacity in
his makeup, although not really what you would call a fighter, like
Jimmy.
"What's the use hanging around here, when that black opening invites us
to come on in?" Jimmy wanted to know.
"We'd better carry out our scheme, and trust to luck to see us through,"
Frank gave as his opinion.
Ned saw that all of his chums were apparently of one mind. Really, he
himself had not the least idea of backing down; his only thought had
been to consider what they were likely to run across, so as to be
prepared, like true scouts.
"You are all right," he observed, "and while we don't want to run up
against any new trouble, we mustn't let that stand in our way. Francois,
you and the chief lead off. And remember, everybody, to get down low
enough, so that you can't see a single tent. That's the only way to make
sure that some one in their camp won't see us."
Jimmy nodded his head, as if pleased that they did not mean to back
down; though he should have known Ned better than to suspect the other
of timidity.
The two guides started for the opening, with the rest trailing after
them, so that the column looked very much like a long snake in motion.
Of course, every fellow felt his nerves on edge with apprehension. It
was impossible to foretell what might happen. For all they knew, the
three men may have suspected that they had been followed, and were now
laying a clever trap, in order to take the explorers off their guard.
As they drew closer to the yawning mouth of the mine among the rocks,
Jimmy fancied that he saw a slight movement there. He could not make
sure, nor did he find it possible to prove his suspicion, and on this
account dared not try to attract the attention of Ned.
Perhaps, after all it was only some loose stone falling, or a small
animal brushing past, that had caught his eye. While Jimmy thus
reassured his rapidly beating heart, and gripped his gun with feverish
zeal; at the same time, he breathed a sigh of relief after they had
really gained the shelter of the grim opening, and there was no wild
crash of guns, or hoarse demand for their surrender, with threats of
terrible consequences in case of refusal.
And now they were sheltered by the mouth of the mine, so that they felt
more confident of being able to take care of themselves, in case
anything violent came to pass.
Ned, always on the alert to notice things, saw at once that the opening
was partly natural. It looked as though the men who claimed to have made
this wonderful discovery of rich copper-bearing quartz had also found a
fissure in the rocks splendidly fitted for their purposes, since it
allowed them to pass far into the side of the hill before they were
compelled to blast and hew passages.
So much for a starter, Ned thought. He was taking note of all such
things, thinking to incorporate them in his report. Although they might
seem trifling in a way, he realized that they would have considerable
bearing in settling the matter with Mr. Bosworth, and those associated
with him in the big company that proposed to purchase a controlling
interest in these new mines, should the report seem favorable.
The next thing was to pass into the mine.
Ned had come well prepared for this venture. Just as he and his chums
carried guns with which to defend themselves in case of an attack--just
as he had produced field-glasses when they were sorely needed--in the
same way the scouts now had a clever means at hand for lighting their
road, once they left the sunlight behind them.
Not only Ned, but every one of the five, produced a splendid little
pocket searchlight. Extra batteries were also carried, so that they need
not worry over the possibility of the power giving out at a critical
moment.
The two guides were evidently well pleased when they saw this display of
illumination; though they must have known something about it before
then. Ned concluded that there was really no need of so much light,
which would only add to the danger of discovery. One light, or two at
most, would give them ample means for seeing the way, and avoiding any
pitfalls.
Accordingly he asked the others to shut off their batteries and follow
him. Now that the guides had done their part in bringing the party into
the mine, Ned meant to resume his natural place in the van, as the
leader of the expedition.
As they moved along it was seen that very little labor had been required
thus far to make an opening quite large enough for all practical
purposes. The mass of rock that lay in the dump outside was probably ore
that showed signs of being valuable. It was intended to impress any one
with an exalted idea of the fabulous richness of the discovery, and had
doubtless been well planted for that purpose.
Ned stopped every little while to examine the walls close by. He was
looking for signs of unusual wealth, because the company owning the mine
had declared in no uncertain way that even the sides of the passages
were rich, beyond all conception, in copper.
His examinations thus far did not justify such extravagant terms of
description. There were to be sure signs of the mineral in the rock, and
possibly in quantities that might have paid for mining under ordinary
conditions; but when the vast distance from civilization was taken into
consideration, there would be nothing in the business, unless ore at
least three times more sustaining were shown.
More and more was Ned coming to the conclusion that the affair was a
gigantic swindle, and that the company which Mr. Bosworth headed was in
for a grand plucking, unless warned in time. These men were playing for
high stakes, and squandering lots of money, fully expecting to recoup
themselves a dozen times.
The boys had been moving along in this leisurely fashion for possibly
five minutes, and so far nothing had occurred to break the monotony. Ned
had even begun to fancy that the inspection of the wonderful copper lode
was going to be an easy matter when, as they started to turn a bend in
the passage, he made a discovery that caused him to instantly press the
button of his hand electric light, causing darkness to instantly
surround them.
This gave them an opportunity for observing the movements of several men
who by the light of lanterns seemed to be busily working a short
distance ahead.
Even though the illumination did not seem very good, all of the scouts
could see that these were the trio of miners whom they had tracked from
the shore of the bay.
"Whatever are they doing, Ned?" whispered the irrepressible Jimmy,
apparently greatly perplexed by the strange actions of the men who,
unconscious of the fact that they were being watched, continued their
labors.
"They are hurrying to do just what I said they might," Ned replied, also
in the lowest of tones. "Perhaps the order has gone out to get things
ready for us, in case we managed to slip by the river guard and arrived
here unexpectedly. In other words, Jimmy, they are salting the mine with
rich copper ore!"