"If he wont in last April," suggested John, "he must have lost some of his
supplies."

"Nobody knows just where he made his head quarters. It's more'n likely
though that the coyotes, if they could talk, might be able to tell you
more about what became of old Simon's bacon than any living man could."

"Here's something!" exclaimed Fred excitedly. "This is worth while," he
added, after he had looked carefully through the various pages of the
diary and in the back part of the book, distinct from the numbered pages,
he had found the following entry:

"June 1st.


At last I have found it. It seems good after twenty-three years
of disappointment to be able to say that I have found a good
lead and that there is a sure enough vein here. I thought I was
on the right trail when I was in the middle of Thorn's Gulch and
I found pretty soon that I had struck it just right. I followed
the lead four days and every day I was more convinced that I had
found something at last worth while. The assay will be great.
Soon I shall have all the money I need, and my poor old sister
will no longer be broken hearted for me. I was determined to
find a mine and now I have one that is worth all my long working
and waiting."


"Any name signed to that?" inquired Zeke quickly when Fred ceased reading.