A Desperate Chance Part 10

"I think so; and now lend me your strength, both of you, and let's see if we can move that loose piece of rock. I'll bet there is an opening there."

"You are right--yes, lad, you have indeed raked into the old Mexican's treasure den; I can recall now some words he once spoke."

"Don't spend any more time recalling; let's shove that rock aside if we can."

The two men lent their aid to Desmond, and sure enough they did raise the piece of rock, and by hoisting it they managed to move it aside a trifle, enough to reveal the fact that there was a chamber above, and that the opening was through the piece of rock.

It was a reward of Desmond's persistence, but after all it was accident that had revealed to him the opening.

By hard work the men finally succeeded in moving the rock aside, and there was disclosed the opening, and Desmond said:

"Now let me stand on our shoulders with the light and I will tell you what it is we have found. There is something there to reveal, I am dead sure."

The two men a.s.sisted Desmond to their shoulders. He took the lantern and shoved his head through the opening, and then flashed the light around, and with a joyful shout exclaimed:

"We've got it!"

"This beats me dead," said Creedon.

Both men were greatly excited, for it did appear that they had made a great find of hidden treasure.

Meantime, Desmond managed to force himself up and disappeared in the cave. He glanced around and beheld a sight that filled him with varying emotions.

The chamber was not more than four feet square, but on the floor in one corner was a s.h.i.+ning heap. It shone under the ray of his lantern as he flashed the light upon it. He took a handful of the s.h.i.+ning stuff and pa.s.sed it down to Creedon, handing him the lantern at the same time, and he said:

"You are a good judge; tell me what that is?"

"It's gold dust," cried Creedon; "how much is there of it?"

"Oh, barrels full, I should say."

"Great ginger! lad, you've struck it."

"Well, it won't run away, I reckon, but give me your hat and I'll fill it."

"Is that to be my share?"

"No, we're only giving you the first whack at it, that's all."

Desmond filled Creedon's hat with the dust and then descended, and the whole party made their way to the outer cavern.

CHAPTER VI.

DISCUSSING THE FIND--A NEW RESOLUTION--GOING TO CREEDON MINE--A DISAPPOINTMENT--BETTER INDICATIONS--A NEW MOVE.

Once in the outer cavern, Desmond said:

"It's now a matter of business."

"Well?"

"How shall we divide?"

"You are the finder," replied Creedon; "you are to decide."

"You leave it to me?"

"Yes."

"I'll make it an even divide all round."

"Boy, it's a great discovery."

"What do you think of its value?"

"It depends upon the weight, but from your description I should say we had a ten-thousand-dollar find."

Desmond's eyes opened wide, and after a moment he asked:

"Does it really belong to us?"

"It does certainly; I am really the appointed heir of the old Mexican, but anyway treasure-trove goes to the finder who can establish a right to it."

"We can," said Brooks.

"You bet we can, and it is ours, but it's strange how the old Mexican's secret has been opened up. Here I've had five years to search for this gold and failed to find it, and this lad gets on to it in one day."

"It was a mere chance."

"Well, yes, to a certain extent; but if you had not been so persistent you would not have developed the chance and made the find possible."

"How did the old man acc.u.mulate this gold?"

"It's plain enough; he has known some stream and has washed it, and possibly it took him ten years to gather the heap you found there; but how well he did it!"

"He did, sure."

"How shall we make a divide?"

"Easy enough if you will let me make a suggestion."

"Certainly."

"We will carry it all out here; we run no risk, no one will ever penetrate to this retreat; then when we have it all carted out here we will divide it, a coffee cup full at time."