"How are ye, young Haywood?" he asked, recognizing Frank. "I heard
about what you done for my little gal here, Inez Lopez, whose father
was once a cowboy on the Circle ranch, and lost his life in a fight
with some of his countrymen when they quarreled. I'm glad to see you.
Found a nice little pocket here a year or so back. Kept it on the
quiet; and the gal, playing the part of a boy, has been fetchin' me
supplies once in two months, an' takin' away the dust I winnowed.
Pocket's played out now, but I reckons as how I've got plenty. 'Sides,
I just don't like the way things is agoin' here. That spoutin' geyser
that rises up inside the old mountain every once in a while acts like
it meant to break loose. Never saw it carry on that bad before; and
we're just ready to cut and run, leavin' most of the truck behind.
What brings ye here, Frank?"
So Frank had to explain in a few words, while the old miner looked
admiringly at the boys, and grinned.
"I admire your nerve, young fellers," he declared, at the conclusion of
the explanation. "And, Frank, ye guessed the true facts, blessed if ye
didn't! I got onto the same by accident. Fell in through a hole, and
just had to creep along this passage to the end. Then havin' guessed
what made the roar, I wondered if so be I could find any stuff in here.
So I took a lot of wood along, and made my discovery."
"And you say you're bound out now?" asked Frank.
"That's what we are, little Lopez and me; and we can't get to the open
any too soon, either, to please both of us," Smith replied, shouldering
his pack.
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