"Where is the man who owns this?" he exclaimed. "We must see him at
once."




CHAPTER XIV.

IN THE HOSPITAL


"We are on our way to see him now," said Jack. "He is in the
Nestorville hospital."

"May I go with you?" asked the professor, with astonishing eagerness
for him.

"Why, of course. But that black sand," said Jack. "What is
it--gold-bearing material of some kind?"

"Gold!" exclaimed the professor with fine scorn, "gold would be dross
beside it. Of course I haven't analyzed it yet, but if it is what I
think it is, it is the most valuable stuff in the world."

The boys exchanged bewildered glances. Clearly their discovery of the
injured man, Zeb Cummings, had an aspect they had not hitherto
suspected. But the professor refused to tell them what the sand was,
or what he thought it was, till he had seen Zeb Cummings himself.