Down the Slope

by James Otis

  CHAPTER XIX

  THE CONSULTATION

  It is not to be wondered at that the boys were in a perfect fever ofexcitement because of their startling discovery.

  They uncovered the spurs of pure coal sufficiently to learn that it wasa true vein, and, judging from the indications, there could be noquestion 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 theyceased digging for a moment.

  "I can't see any difference. Why, you and I alone could mine enough tomake us pretty near rich, for there's neither shaft nor slope to bemade."

  "Do you suppose this land is valuable?"

  "For farming purposes it isn't worth a cent, and unless the owner knowswhat 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 toget 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 athousand years. All the money I can earn has to be used by the familynow that father isn't working."

  "But can we do nothin'?"

  "It does seem kinder tough to find a fortune, and not be able to takeadvantage 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 whatwe've struck."

  "Yes, an' before to-morrow night he'd own this whole tract. It would bewiser 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 andleaves until one might have searched a long while without discoveringthe secret.

  Then, walking at their best pace, the successful prospectors continuedon toward Farley's, trying in vain to suppress their excitement.

  Those whom they wished to consult were at the mine, and without evenstopping to tell Mrs. Byram of their discovery they went directly to theslope.

  Bill and Joe were in the second level, at some distance from the otherworkmen when the boys arrived.

  "What do you think of that?" Fred asked, excitedly, as he held out oneof his specimens.

  Bill, supposing he was to see a rare sight, brought his cap-lamp closeto the object for a second, and then said angrily:

  "Haven't you boys got anything better to do than bring coal in here forus to look at? We see enough of that stuff without luggin' it around inour pockets."

  "But this didn't come from Farley's."

  "Well, s'posin it didn't, what of that?" and Bill threw the coal fardown the drift.

  "Not much, except that Sam and I found a vein three miles from anysettlement."

  "What?" both the miners cried in the same breath, and Bill ran to pickup what he had thrown away so contemptuously.

  Fred began and Sam ended the story of the "find," and while they weretalking Bill turned the specimen over and over, saying when theyconcluded:

  "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 theland 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 fortwo 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 yourmother, 'nd when you boys are rich I speak for the job of breakerboss."

  Then Bill and Joe, hardly less excited than their younger companions,resumed the interrupted labor, and the amateur prospectors went to tellthe wonderful news to Mrs. Byram.

  Fred's mother was not as elated as the boys thought the occasiondemanded, but when the miners arrived, and appeared to be so sanguinethat the discovery would be of great pecuniary benefit to those who madeit she became greatly interested.

  The main question was how to raise the necessary money with which topurchase the land, and this had not been answered when the party brokeup at a late hour.

  "We'll figger it out somehow," Bill said as the visitors arose todepart. "It's been sprung so sudden like that we haven't had time. Joean' me will learn who owns the land first, an' then some of us'll get abright idee."

  With these cheering words the meeting was adjourned, and Sam and Fredwent to bed to dream of becoming millionaires through the accident whichbefell the latter as he fell over the spur of coal.

  Next morning, however, they awoke to the fact that the day's provisionsdepended upon their labors in the store, and as this was also the firststep toward earning sufficient money with which to buy the land, bothwere on hand at an unusually early hour.

  "I want you to go over to Blacktown bank," Mr. Wright said to Sam whenhe entered the building. "The train leaves in half an hour, and sinceyou can return by the same conveyance there is no reason why I shouldgive 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 spurwe found."

  "That's jest what I'll do, providin' it is possible to get back beforethe train is due. There can't be any kickin' if I'm here an hour or twoahead of time."

  A package of papers and a bank book was given to Sam by the cashier, whosaid, warningly:

  "Here are two thousand dollars in checks, and you are to bring backeight hundred dollars in change. Be careful what you do, and come homeon the first train after the business has been done."

  "I don't reckon any one would kick if I walked instead of waitin' untilafternoon for the cars," Sam said as he took the documents.

  "It isn't very safe to come across the mountains with so much cash; butI don't suppose there is any danger," the man replied, and Sam glancedmeaningly at Fred as he left the building.

  "I wish I hadn't said anything to him about looking at the vein," Fredmuttered to himself as his companion disappeared from view. "It would bebetter if he came directly back without thinking of what will neverbring 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 ofthe day.

  At noon a telegram came for Mr. Wright, and in response to what wasprobably an imperative summons, he started for the city on the nexttrain; the one on which Sam would have returned had he not determined towalk across the mountain.

  An hour passed, and yet the messenger was absent.

  "That boy has had time to travel twice the distance from Blacktownhere," the cashier said impatiently to Fred, and the latter could makeno 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 soonit will be best to send a sheriff's officer."

  This remark was well calculated to make Fred yet more nervous. Not for amoment did he believe Sam would do anything dishonest, and yet he shouldhave been back, even in case he had walked home, several hours before.

  It was after sunset when the messenger finally made his appearance, andFred was about to greet him with words of jest, but the expression onSam'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 wewanted 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 landfor?"

  "That has nothing to do with the loss of the cash," Sam replied as helooked the man full in the face. "I lost the package which was given meat the bank, and have been hunting for it since noon."

  "It will make considerable difference, as you'll find out before thisthing is cleared up," and the cashier moved toward the door as if toprevent the boy from leaving the building. "Why not tell the truth, andsay 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. Thievesdon't loaf around the mountain."

  "They must have done so in this case, for I walked nearly back toBlacktown, and should have found the package if it had fallen from mypocket."

  "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 fewinches that his order might be obeyed.

  "Please don't do a thing like that," Fred cried, while Sam stood nearthe desk pale as death, but every action breathing defiance.

  "Do you think I'll let a boy steal eight hundred dollars, and do nothingtoward 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 timein 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, andthe thief sha'nt go free now if I can prevent it."

  Fred was about to plead yet further for his friend, but the cashierchecked him by saying:

  "Another word in his behalf and I shall believe you know something ofthis 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 ignominyof an arrest. The cashier had hardly ceased speaking when one of theminers made an attempt to enter the store, and the angry official senthim for the guardian of the peace.

  "You'll have a chance to go back to Blacktown, and it may be that youwill 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 theofficer.