their way, arriving at Pueblo a fortnight later. Thence they traveled
together to Santa Fé, and then hired a wagon and joined a large caravan
going across the plains east. When they reached St. Louis they
separated. A division was made of the gold, and the lads started by
train for New York, and the next day took their passages for England.

When Dick reached home he was received by his family as one from the
dead. The _Northampton_ had arrived three weeks before, and, from the
report Mr. Allen had given, they had slight hopes indeed that Dick would
recover from his wounds, although the letter that Tom had written three
days after he landed had given them some slight grounds for hope. The
letter had been shown to the owners of the _Northampton_, and as the
statements respecting the captain and the first mate were confirmed by
Mr. Allen and the third officer, the captain and first mate had been
summarily discharged from the service.

The astonishment of the lads' fathers when they found that each lad had
brought home a hundred pounds of gold, worth about five thousand pounds,
was great indeed. With it shares were bought in the ships of the
company, and when in time both attained the rank of master they had the
satisfaction of sailing in ships in which they held shares. Neither had
any inclination ever to embark again upon the operation of gold-mining.



The Stone Chest;


or,