guess we'd better go up a little farther--this didn't come out all
by itself."

The boy dug Mavis sharply in the shoulder.

"Git back into the bushes--quick!" he whispered.

The girl shrank away and the boy dropped down into the bed of the
creek and slipped down to where the stream poured between two
bowlders over which ascent was slippery and difficult. And when
the party turned up the bend of the creek, Arch Hawn saw the boy,
tense and erect, on the wet black summit of one bowlder, with his
old rifle in the hollow of his arm.

"Why, hello, Jason!" he cried, with a start of surprise; "found
anything to shoot?"

"Not yit!" said Jason shortly.

The geologist stepped around Arch and started to climb toward the
foot of the bowlder.

"You stop thar!"

The ring of the boy's fiery command stopped the man as though a
rattlesnake had given the order at his very feet, and he looked up
bewildered; but the boy had not moved.

"Whut you mean, boy?" shouted Arch. "We're lookin' for a vein o'
coal."