CHAPTER IX.
"SALTING" THE MINE.
The Cree Indian showed by his manner that there was need of great carein advancing any further. When the boys came creeping up to where hecrouched, they understood the meaning of his gestures of warning.
Smoke was rising, and they could see a number of dingy tents grouped ina depression among the rocks. Evidently it was a camp of some sort,though just then besides the three men they had tracked there hardlyseemed to be anybody around.
It was plain enough to Ned why this should be so, for he rememberedabout the dozen men who had spent the preceding night at the river camp,waiting for the coming of the canoes with the explorers. Those partiesundoubtedly belonged here, and were even now in hiding further down theriver, intending to play some prearranged scheme, with the idea ofeither frightening the scouts off, or else hoodwinking the investigatorsin some fashion.
"Ginger! but that was a good move of yours, Ned, to think of quittingthe boats and coming across lots to find the old mine," said Frank, ina voice that could not be heard ten feet away.
The miners' camp was located on a brawling stream that came noisily downthe rough face of the rocks. This created more or less racket, so thatthere was small danger of any hostile ears discovering the intrudersthrough any sound they were likely to make.
"I second the motion," added Jack. "Think how neat we left the crowd inthe lurch, and now we've found where the opening of this wonderful mineis, we can take a look in, while the bunch is waiting for us to dropdown the river."
"That's what I meant to do when I started on this flank movement," Nedassured 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 havethem 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 opportunityto quiz his chums pass by unimproved.
"Because I can see where a heap of rock has been dumped down a slide, sochances are they've been doing some little work up here, enough to makea showing, in case a party is sent up to investigate before buyingshares," was what Jack explained.
"You're right there," admitted Teddy, as he took another look toward theside of the rocky hill close to the tent colony; "and after they'dopened up the mine, it wouldn't be a hard job to shoot it, I shouldthink."
"What's that, shoot the mine, do you say?" asked Jimmy.
"Oh! that's only a term they use in mining countries when dishonest menwant to salt a mine, so as to deceive a prospective customer. Some saythey shoot gold or copper ore into crevices, where it will be taken outlater and shown."
At this point Ned gave them to understand that it was no time to enterinto any discussion concerning the methods of conducting frauds inmining. They had work before them, and had better be about it withoutany more delay, since there could be no telling at what time the absentmen might show up. Once they returned to the camp, of course, thechances of the scouts accomplishing much began to dwindle enormously.
From where they lay, screened by some thin brush, the scouts were ableto observe the ground, and Ned could form his plan of campaign. He neverwasted much time when his hand had been placed to the plow. Followingthe line of loose rock that had undoubtedly been carried out of someworking in the hillside, he believed he could settle on the exactposition of the opening.
They would have to make a detour and approach from above. Here it was tobe hoped they would find enough cover to enable them to make what Jimmycalled a "grand sneak" into the mouth of the mine.
In as few words as possible Ned explained this to the others, as theyclustered around him, hanging upon his every word. Jimmy could hardly berestrained from hurrying off at once, so anxious did he seem to getstarted. But when Ned took hold of his assistant's arm, and gave him oneof those looks which Jimmy knew so well, the little fellow subsidedimmediately.
"Oh! I'm on to the curves, all right, Ned, sure I am," he hastened tomutter. "I want to scratch gravel as soon as anybody else, but I'm notgoing to get off my base while the other feller's got the ball, notmuch. My place is to follow wherever _you_ lead; and I understand mybusiness too, believe me."
They crawled back some little distance, until there seemed to be a goodchance to climb the hillside without being discovered. Now and then theIndian, who led the column again, would pause to take his bearings, andcast a quick, apprehensive look all around him. Plainly, Tamasjo did notmean to forfeit the confidence which he knew the young white commanderplaced in his ability as a cautious guide.
When they had gone far enough along the side of the rough hill, made upfor 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, theyonce more changed their course, and headed to strike the place where allthat loose stone had come from.
A signal from Ned caused the other four scouts to take particular noticeof what they were coming to. It was certainly a black opening among therocks, with all the signs of a mine before it, even to some discardedpicks and shovels lying in confusion close by.
They could just see the tent colony below. Some of the boys were anxiousto 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 Jackheard, and looked at him inquiringly.
"Why, what's gone wrong now?" he inquired.
"Those men we tracked here have disappeared since we started to passaround the camp," said the other. "I've been looking to get a glimpse ofthem, and so far without any success."
"H'm! so much the better," whispered Jimmy, who was, of course, hoveringnear, anxious to know everything that was going on. "I must say Ididn't like their looks, and particularly old Blackbeard. He had an ironjaw and a scowl that would send a cold chill to your heart. Oh! ifthey've gone away, let's laugh in our sleeves. I'd call it a goodriddance of very bad rubbish."
"And so far as I'm concerned," added Frank, "I wouldn't drop a singletear if the whole shooting match of rascals dropped into Hudson Bay, andcouldn't swim a stroke."
"What's to pay, Ned?" persisted Jack, who knew that the other would notfeel the way he did without some good cause.
"It's only this," continued the leader of the explorers, "we're bound toenter the mine, now that we've come so many hundred miles, just to findout the truth. Well, if those men are in there working, we stand achance of running across the lot, and that would spell trouble, youknow."
"For them, yes," remarked Jimmy, as he fondled the repeating rifle hewas 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 theend of the race."
"I should say not!" breathed Teddy, who had considerable pugnacity inhis makeup, although not really what you would call a fighter, likeJimmy.
"What's the use hanging around here, when that black opening invites usto 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, hehimself had not the least idea of backing down; his only thought hadbeen to consider what they were likely to run across, so as to beprepared, like true scouts.
"You are all right," he observed, "and while we don't want to run upagainst 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 lowenough, so that you can't see a single tent. That's the only way to makesure that some one in their camp won't see us."
Jimmy nodded his head, as if pleased that they did not mean to backdown; though he should have known Ned better than to suspect the otherof timidity.
The two guides started for the opening, with the res
t trailing afterthem, so that the column looked very much like a long snake in motion.
Of course, every fellow felt his nerves on edge with apprehension. Itwas impossible to foretell what might happen. For all they knew, thethree men may have suspected that they had been followed, and were nowlaying 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 makesure, nor did he find it possible to prove his suspicion, and on thisaccount dared not try to attract the attention of Ned.
Perhaps, after all it was only some loose stone falling, or a smallanimal brushing past, that had caught his eye. While Jimmy thusreassured his rapidly beating heart, and gripped his gun with feverishzeal; at the same time, he breathed a sigh of relief after they hadreally gained the shelter of the grim opening, and there was no wildcrash of guns, or hoarse demand for their surrender, with threats ofterrible consequences in case of refusal.
And now they were sheltered by the mouth of the mine, so that they feltmore confident of being able to take care of themselves, in caseanything violent came to pass.
Ned, always on the alert to notice things, saw at once that the openingwas partly natural. It looked as though the men who claimed to have madethis wonderful discovery of rich copper-bearing quartz had also found afissure in the rocks splendidly fitted for their purposes, since itallowed them to pass far into the side of the hill before they werecompelled to blast and hew passages.
So much for a starter, Ned thought. He was taking note of all suchthings, thinking to incorporate them in his report. Although they mightseem trifling in a way, he realized that they would have considerablebearing in settling the matter with Mr. Bosworth, and those associatedwith him in the big company that proposed to purchase a controllinginterest 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 chumscarried guns with which to defend themselves in case of an attack--justas he had produced field-glasses when they were sorely needed--in thesame way the scouts now had a clever means at hand for lighting theirroad, once they left the sunlight behind them.
Not only Ned, but every one of the five, produced a splendid littlepocket searchlight. Extra batteries were also carried, so that they neednot worry over the possibility of the power giving out at a criticalmoment.
The two guides were evidently well pleased when they saw this display ofillumination; though they must have known something about it beforethen. 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 atmost, would give them ample means for seeing the way, and avoiding anypitfalls.
Accordingly he asked the others to shut off their batteries and followhim. Now that the guides had done their part in bringing the party intothe mine, Ned meant to resume his natural place in the van, as theleader of the expedition.
As they moved along it was seen that very little labor had been requiredthus far to make an opening quite large enough for all practicalpurposes. The mass of rock that lay in the dump outside was probably orethat showed signs of being valuable. It was intended to impress any onewith an exalted idea of the fabulous richness of the discovery, and haddoubtless been well planted for that purpose.
Ned stopped every little while to examine the walls close by. He waslooking for signs of unusual wealth, because the company owning the minehad declared in no uncertain way that even the sides of the passageswere rich, beyond all conception, in copper.
His examinations thus far did not justify such extravagant terms ofdescription. There were to be sure signs of the mineral in the rock, andpossibly in quantities that might have paid for mining under ordinaryconditions; but when the vast distance from civilization was taken intoconsideration, there would be nothing in the business, unless ore atleast three times more sustaining were shown.
More and more was Ned coming to the conclusion that the affair was agigantic swindle, and that the company which Mr. Bosworth headed was infor a grand plucking, unless warned in time. These men were playing forhigh stakes, and squandering lots of money, fully expecting to recoupthemselves a dozen times.
The boys had been moving along in this leisurely fashion for possiblyfive minutes, and so far nothing had occurred to break the monotony. Nedhad even begun to fancy that the inspection of the wonderful copper lodewas going to be an easy matter when, as they started to turn a bend inthe passage, he made a discovery that caused him to instantly press thebutton of his hand electric light, causing darkness to instantlysurround them.
This gave them an opportunity for observing the movements of several menwho by the light of lanterns seemed to be busily working a shortdistance ahead.
Even though the illumination did not seem very good, all of the scoutscould see that these were the trio of miners whom they had tracked fromthe 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 theirlabors.
"They are hurrying to do just what I said they might," Ned replied, alsoin the lowest of tones. "Perhaps the order has gone out to get thingsready for us, in case we managed to slip by the river guard and arrivedhere unexpectedly. In other words, Jimmy, they are salting the mine withrich copper ore!"