"Neither can They tell. If They knew, and if They knew it was safe to
come back and mine here, when the world has so great need of gold, you
better believe They would come and mine, But They do not know; They do
not know." The boy pronounced the last words with an undertone of
mystery. "Sometime I will know. Then I--I will tell you, perhaps."

"Where's the machinery?" asked Johnny.

"Up the river. Wanta see it?"

"Sure."

They hurried away up the frozen river and in fifteen minutes came upon a
row of low sheds. The doors were locked, but to his great surprise
Johnny discovered that his companion had the keys.

They were soon walking through dark aisles, on each side of which were
piled parts of mining machines of every description, crushers, rollers,
smelters and various accessories connected with quartz mining. Mingled
with these were picks, pans, steam thawers, windlasses, and great piles
of sluice timber. All these last named were for mining placer gold.

"Quartz too?" asked Johnny.

"Plenty of quartz," grinned Iyok-ok. "Come out here, I will show you."

They stepped outside. The boy locked the door, then led his companion up
a steep slope until they were on a low point commanding a view of the
village below and a rocky cliff above.