The Go Ahead Boys and Simon's Mine by Ross Kay

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"Nobody knows," declared Pete, "whether you found the bones of Simon
Moultrie or not."

"That doesn't make any difference," declared Fred sturdily, "if we can
only find the place he spoke of. Zeke says he knows where Thorn's Gulch
is--"

"Huh!" interrupted Pete. "I guess ev'rybody in this part o' th' country
knows where Thorn's Gulch is."

"But," continued Fred, winking at John as he spoke, "he doesn't know where
Two Crow Tree is nor just where Tom's Thumb is located. Of course you
know, so we came back to the camp."

"If I don't know I can find 'em, I guess," assented Pete sturdily.

"That's just what Zeke said," laughed Fred. "What we're looking for isn't
somebody who can _find_ them, but somebody who knows where they are."

"Don't you worry none about that," said Pete. "We'll find the spot if
there's any such place."

The camp was located in a most attractive spot, high above the roaring
river. It was on the sloping side of the towering border. A natural
pathway lead to the plateau above, while a spring of clear water was
conveniently near for their needs.

In spite of the July day the air was cool and the smoke of their camp-fire
was carried swiftly down the canyon. The sublime sight of the Grand Canyon
was before them, although from their camp they were unable to see the
largest of all the great gulches.

The sides of the various canyons, which the swiftly flowing Colorado had
made, were carved and fretted almost beyond belief. The various strata of
rock and soil that had been exposed to view by the centuries of action of
the mighty river were marvelously tinted. Indeed, George declared that the
blues, the grays, and reds and mauves were only less impressive than the
overwhelming size of the Grand Canyon itself. Grant, however, was positive
that the sculptured sides of the vast hole were equal in interest to the
coloring and the glory of the canyon itself.

With every changing angle of the sun the colors and shadings also changed.
Again and again the boys had marked the shadows formed every morning and
evening and they laughingly announced and described the various
resemblances which they had traced.

The Grand Canyon itself is only a part of the long canyon, in places a
mile deep and in certain places a score of miles from side to side,
through which the mighty river has forced its way.

The Colorado River starting in Southern Utah is formed by the junction of
the Green and the Grand Rivers. The former rising in Northern Utah,
traverses also a part of Wyoming, while the latter river traces the
western Rockies in Colorado.

Of this wonderful stream Major Powell, the first to descend the river,
wrote, "Ten million cascade brooks unite to form a hundred rivers. Beside
that, cataracts and a hundred roaring rivers unite to form the Colorado, a
mad turbid stream."

One distinguished writer, describing the mighty canyon, said it is "most
mysterious in its depth than the Himalayas in their height. It is true
that the Grand Canyon remains not the eighth but the first wonder of the
world. There is nothing like it."

Our special interest, however, is in the four boys and their two guides,
who now were assembled in the camp. Every boy was bronzed and toughened by
his exposure and labors. Packs were to be seen which had been brought into
camp on the backs of the various members of the party. Each pack contained
about sixty pounds of food and materials necessary for the expedition. In
addition, guns had been brought, fishing rods were visible and other
implements, which were a part of the camp life were on every side.

Burros had been used to carry some of the burdens until the boys had
entered within the canyon itself. Then the burros with the Indian boy who
had accompanied them as far as the border, turned back to the place from
which they had come. It was not believed that sufficient material would be
left after the expedition was completed to require again the services of
the donkeys.

After supper the boys stretched themselves on the ground near the fire
which was still burning.

"We have kept together all the way as far as this," suggested Fred, "but
I'm wondering now if we wouldn't do better if we divided into two
parties."

"What for?" demanded Grant, sitting quickly erect.

"I've just been talking to Zeke and asking him whether he didn't think we
would need more supplies than we have before we came back."

"Nonsense," said John. "We have all we want. It isn't going to take us
more than a year to find that place Simon Moultrie told about. If we don't
get some trace of it within a few days I'm not in favor of keeping up the
search and for that reason I don't believe we'll want any more supplies."

"Nobly spoken!" laughed George. "It sounds like the supreme wisdom of Soc.
What do you say about it?" he added, turning to Grant as he spoke.

"I know just enough to know that I don't know anything about it," answered
Grant.

"But what do you think?" protested Fred.

"I think we may need more than we have. What does Zeke say about it?"
replied Grant.

"Zeke doesn't think we had better divide again. He says that if we need
supplies we can go in for them, but the probabilities are that we shall be
back long before any such lack comes. He thinks we had better all keep
together. There's safety in numbers sometimes, you know."

"I agree," said Grant, "if that is Zeke's opinion. Still when we get on
the ground where our real search begins I'm of the opinion that we'll get
along better and faster if we make two parties instead of one."

"There will be time enough to talk about that when we have to," laughed
Fred. "Look yonder," he abruptly added, pointing as he spoke to two men
who could be seen coming down the natural approach to the camp. "Where did
they come from? Who are they? What do you suppose they want? You don't
suppose it is somebody coming in with a message of bad news for us, do
you?"

No one replied to the questions of the startled boy, but every member of
the party at once turned and keenly watched the approaching men. Both were
walking, although Zeke explained in a low voice that doubtless they had
burros somewhere not far away.

In a brief time the two strangers approached the camp and immediately made
themselves known.

"I've seen both those men before," whispered Fred excitedly.

"Where?" inquired John.

"They were on the train when we came. They sat right across the aisle from
us. I'm sure they are the same men for I never shall forget the scar on
the left cheek of that short one."

The two approaching strangers were now so near that it was possible for
John to confirm the statement of his friend. A long livid scar, extending
almost entirely across his left cheek, was visible on the face of the
younger man. His companion was taller, evidently at least ten years older
and had a face which was not altogether prepossessing at first sight.

"Yes, sir," repeated Fred. "I saw both those fellows on the car the day
before we left the train."

"Evenin'," called the man with the scar.

"Same to you," retorted Zeke.

"We're doin' a bit o' prospecting or at least we expect to do some and got
caught up here in a gully which we can't very well get across where we
are. We saw the smoke of your fire and thought we might come down and
perhaps you would invite us to spend the night with you."

"You're entirely welcome," said Zeke. The guide's manner was quiet and
there was nothing to belie the apparent cordiality of the statement he had
just made.

The young campers, however, were by no means convinced that their unbidden
visitors were parties whom they could welcome.

Already the sun was below the western cliffs, although its beams in
certain places still flashed between the mountains and tinged the sides of
the adjacent canyon with myriad dancing and delicate colors.

Hospitality, however, was a part of the life on the plains and seldom was
any unexpected guest turned away from a human habitation or company.
Suspicious though the boys certainly were they did not offer any protest
and in response to their invitation to share in the remnants of their
evening meal, the two strangers at once accepted and seated themselves not
far from the camp-fire.

It was not until they had eaten that they explained more in detail who
and what they were. Not long before this time they had come from Tombstone
to search for a mine of whose existence they declared they had received
information from certain somewhat vague reports.

"The trouble is, Mr. Stranger," one of them explained, "that we don't know
just where this mine is. There was a report in Tombstone that an old
prospector up here had struck it rich, but that he died or at least hadn't
been heard from since the report started. The Indians say that he was
looking for his mine in a part of the country where the Great Spirit has
forbidden the children o' men to come. They declare that this prospector
didn't die a natural death."

"What did he die of?" inquired Zeke.

"Why they say that no man ever goes into that region and comes out alive,
or if he does happen to succeed in that, he can't dodge the bad luck which
is sure to catch him."

"And do you want to find the place?" inquired Fred quizzically.

"We do and if there is any such place we're going to find it."

The four boys meanwhile had glanced apprehensively at one another when
they heard the reference to the discovery of a mine which soon had been
lost. The statement too that the original prospector was dead increased
the mystery as well as the interest of the Go Ahead Boys.

What would these strangers say if they knew that already in the possession
of the Go Ahead Boys was the statement of an old prospector who very
likely was the very one to whom the unwelcome guests had frequently
referred?

CHAPTER IV

TWO THIEVES IN THE NIGHT

The question was speedily answered when, to the dismay of his companions,
John said abruptly, "That must be something like the man whose body we
found to-day."

Instantly both strangers were staring at the boy who had spoken. Even in
the dim light their intense interest was plainly manifest. Zeke was doing
his utmost by absurd motions to impress upon the mind of John the fact
that he must say nothing more.

The two visitors at the camp, however, were too deeply interested to lose
the opportunity. Speaking slowly and as if he was not especially
interested, the man with the scar on his face said in a drawling manner,
"Where was that, sonny?"

"I don't know just where it was," replied John. "We found the body or
rather the bones of a man to-day."

"What did you do with them?"

"Buried them, of course." John was aware now that his friends were angry
at his uncalled-for statements. His obstinacy, however, had been aroused
and he was ignoring all the signs and motions that were given him from
every side.

"Wasn't there anything besides the bones?" inquired the visitor.

"They had been picked clean. Zeke here thought that the coyotes and
buzzards had been at work."

"Probably had. You didn't find any clothes?"

"I believe we did get a coat and a pair of shoes."

"Would you mind letting me look at them?"

John turned to the guide and said, "Let them see that coat, Zeke. There's
no harm in that," he said loudly as he turned to his companions.

Reluctantly the guide displayed the coat which he had dug from the sand
and eagerly both visitors inspected it.

For a moment no one spoke and then the man with the scar said abruptly,
"I'm sure that's old Sime Moultrie's coat."

Again there was a brief silence before the man continued, "He was a
strange duffer. I have seen him off an' on the last fifteen year. He never
gave up his search for a mine and I guess he never found one. Strange how
a man will keep on as if he was all possessed when he has once got started
prospecting."

"What do you suppose happened to him?" inquired Fred.

"There's no tellin' as long as I didn't see the skeleton. Zeke here ought
to know."

"I don't know anything 'bout it," said Zeke gruffly.

"Well, the possibilities are," said the man with the scar, "that he took
sick an' died. He must have been all alone and nobody can tell how long he
may have been sick. As I rec'lect, he used to come in about ev'ry Spring
and Fall for fresh supplies. He wouldn't 'low any one to go with him and
he didn't have much to say to any one when he came in to the town."

"Did you find any papers in the coat?" inquired the second stranger, who
up to this time had seldom spoken.

"Not very much. We couldn't find anything with his name on it," explained
Zeke, "so we couldn't be sure whose bones they were."

"You didn't find any papers at all?" again inquired the man.

"We didn't find anything that showed who he was," said Zeke slowly, "same
as I told you."

"The coat then is the only thing you have got to identify him with?"

"We found a pick-axe and spade and hammer," explained Zeke.

"Have you got them here?"

"Yes, they're somewhere about the camp. I don't know just where we did put
them."

"Better let us have a look at them."

"It's too dark to see them now. Wait 'till mornin'."

"We aren't going to wait until morning," laughed the man with the scar.
"We've got a long hike and we thought we would make part of it before
sun-up. It's a good deal cooler travelin' at night, and especially when
there's a good moon, than it is to crawl across those tablelands when the
thermometer is about a hundred and ten in the shade; and there isn't any
shade."

"Better wait until mornin'," said Zeke abruptly.

"No, we're goin' now. Come on, Jim," the man added, as he turned to his
companion. "It's time for us to be movin'."

Without further words the two strange visitors departed from the camp and
soon disappeared along the winding way that lead to the summit.

"That's a nice thing you did, Jack!" exclaimed Fred angrily as soon as the
two men were gone.

"What's the harm?" retorted John. "I didn't tell them anything about any
lost mine."

"You didn't have to," retorted Fred, "after what they said. They had
heard about a man dying, though how they ever knew beats me. And they
believed that he was the man who was reported to have found a great lead."

"What of it?"

"A good deal of it," joined in Grant. "You have given them an idea and
they won't forget it."

"What good is an idea?" demanded John. "They haven't any paper and they
can't find the place without it."

"All the same," said Fred, "I'm sorry you said anything about Simon
Moultrie."

"But I didn't say anything about him," protested John. "They were the ones
that did most of the talking. I thought if I told them about the bones we
found this afternoon that perhaps they would talk some more and say
something that would help us."

"Great! Great!" laughed George scornfully. "You 'done noble,' Jack. If
those men don't find the place, you may rest easy that they will keep
track of us for a while."

"Why will they?"

"Because they'll want to see if we found anything in the pocket of Simon
Moultrie's coat that would give us any clue to the place where he had made
his great discovery. They'll watch us for a while anyway and if we don't
do anything, they may make up their minds that we haven't found anything;
but if we begin to do anything like making a search among the mountains,
you mark my words those two fellows will show up again just as sure as
you're born."

"We'll know about that later," said John.

For an hour the boys remained seated about their camp-fire, talking over
the unexpected visit of the two strangers and the marked interest they had
manifested in John's story. Conversation gradually ceased and for a time
the Go Ahead Boys were chiefly interested in the fantastic figures cast by
the flames and in the marvelous tints of the clouds as the moonlight was
shining through them. Nearby was the bottomless gulf. They were unable to
see the mighty chasm, but the knowledge that they were near its brink
produced a feeling all its own.

At last however, Fred declared it was time for the Go Ahead Boys to turn
in. His own example was speedily followed and in a brief time silence
rested over the camp.

The motionless figures on the blankets, with every boy sleeping with his
feet turned toward the fire, which now had died down, presented a sight
which would have appealed strongly to their distant friends in the east
had they been able to see it. Seldom did any figure stir and the weird
silence was unbroken save by an occasional sigh of the wind as it swept
past the dwarfed trees on the mountain side.

How much time had elapsed Fred did not know when he was suddenly aroused
and quickly sat erect. For a moment he was unable to determine just where
he was but the sight of his sleeping companions soon recalled the events
of the preceding day, and, satisfied, he was about to resume his place on
his blanket when he was startled by the sight of two crouching figures
approaching the camp. They came from behind the buttress of rock about
thirty feet from the fire. Both figures were crouching low and moving
slowly and with extreme caution.

Hastily Fred resumed his place on the blanket, having instantly decided
not yet to awaken his comrades. He was eager to discover what the purpose
of the men in visiting the camp was.

His heart was beating rapidly as he peered intently at the men. They had
now drawn close to the camp and again had stopped to make certain that
their approach had not been discovered.

Still moving silently they began to circle the place, moving in opposite
directions. Several times each stopped to examine what he had discovered
in the pockets of a coat he had found. Apparently, however, the search
was not altogether satisfactory. After they had completely circled the
camp, noiselessly as they had approached the two men withdrew.

It was evident that they had taken nothing of value and Fred indeed was
almost ready to conclude that he had been dreaming or that his eyes had
deceived him. The silence was still unbroken save by the occasional sigh
of some heavy sleeper. The passing clouds were still reflecting the light
of the moon and in the dim light Fred again thought he perceived the
approach of the two crouching men.

In a moment, however, he was convinced that he was mistaken. Had he made
the same mistake before? Had he thought he had seen, without actually
seeing, two men creep into the camp? Almost convinced that he had been
dreaming, Fred did not awaken any of his comrades, thereby escaping any
ridicule that might be heaped upon him for disturbing their slumbers and
in a few minutes was himself again soundly asleep.

CHAPTER V

A START AND A LOSS

When morning came Fred was still uncertain whether his experience of the
preceding night had been a dream or a reality. As he glanced at the
enthusiastic countenances of his friends he was almost convinced that what
he had seen had been the shadowy figures of a dream. Besides he was
fearful of the bantering which the Go Ahead Boys might bestow upon him if
it was discovered that there was no basis for his statement.

However, as Fred deemed the matter too important to be entirely ignored,
he said while the boys were seated about the improvised table, "Were any
of you fellows up last night?"

"Not guilty," laughed George. "I was asleep almost before I had stretched
out."

The other two boys also declared that their slumbers had not been
disturbed and that neither had wandered about the camp.

"What's the trouble, Freddie?" laughed Grant. "You act either as if you
don't believe us or something happened."

"Well, I'm not sure, but something did happen," said Fred slowly.

"What was it? Tell us your story," demanded John.

"Either I dreamed or else I surely saw two men moving about the camp.
There was a moon and the place was almost as light as day."

"Who were the men?" demanded Grant.

"Perhaps they weren't 'men' at all," replied Fred, who was certain now
that he was safe from ridicule.

"Do you think they were our visitors?"

"Yes," replied Fred promptly, "that's exactly what I do think."

"What were they doing?" asked John.

All the Go Ahead Boys were now deeply interested in Fred's statement and
eager to hear what more he might say.

"I saw the two figures moving about the camp and at first I thought they
were some of you. Pretty soon, however, I made up my mind that they
weren't. I turned over on my side and pretended to be asleep, though I was
watching these men all the time."

"Why didn't you wake us up?" demanded John.

"Because I wasn't sure that I myself didn't need waking up."

"You're a great lad," said John scornfully. "Zeke," he called, turning to
the guide, "Fred thinks he saw those two men that were in our camp last
night come back."

The guide looked keenly at Fred, and it was plain he instantly was
interested and perhaps alarmed.

"What were they doin'?" he asked slowly.

"Why, they were moving about the camp," replied Fred. "It didn't seem to
me they were here more than five or ten minutes but just as I was about to
call you or the boys they disappeared."

Zeke said no more as he turned at once to the place where the garments and
implements of Simon Moultrie had been placed.

The four boys were aware now that the guide was somewhat alarmed and
instantly all four ran to join him.

"You see it is gone," said Zeke blankly as he displayed the empty pockets
in the coat of the dead prospector.

"Gone!" exclaimed the Go Ahead Boys together.

"It isn't here anyway."

"You mean his diary?" demanded Fred.

"That's exactly what I mean. Your dream was a nightmare and it's likely
to be a still bigger one for us."

"Do you think those men took that diary?" asked Grant.

"You can see for yourself," retorted Zeke gruffly.

"Maybe you put it somewhere else," suggested George.

"Huh!" snapped the guide. "I left it right in the pocket. Eight in that
there pocket," he added as he again displayed the coat.

"What did they want of it?" inquired John.

"They wanted what you told them about."

"I didn't tell them anything about anything," said John angrily.

"The trouble with you, Jack, is that you can't read between the lines. You
see, those men were not born yesterday and they could put two and two
together."

"But I didn't give them anything to put together," protested John.

"If I recollect aright," suggested Grant, "there was something said about
the coat and the tools that the prospector had with him. If I'm correct it
seems to me that the men wanted to see the coat and the axe and the spade
and the hammer."

"What of it?" demanded John.

"Everything," retorted Grant. "They probably suspected that if there was
a coat there were pockets in it. And if there were pockets then there was
something in them."

"They guessed right, all right," laughed George.

"Never you mind," said John. "I remember exactly what the diary said and I
can draw another picture of that Gulch with just exactly the places marked
on it that the prospector had marked."

"Try it," suggested Fred.

"That's just what I'll do," said John as he turned to the tent from which
he speedily returned with a pad and pencil.

For a moment no one spoke while John busily made his drawing.

"There," he said as he held it forth to view. "That's just as good as the
original."

"It's a mighty pretty picture," scoffed George. "The only trouble with it
is that no one knows whether it is correct or not."

"Zeke, isn't that drawing all right?" demanded John as he held forth the
paper to the guide.

"It isn't so far wrong," acknowledged Zeke cautiously, "but I guess we'll
be able to do something whether we have any paper or not. I'm more afraid
of those two men than I am that we shan't be able to draw th' picture that
old Sime had in his diary."

All four boys looked keenly into the face of the guide but no one inquired
concerning the meaning of his words.

"Well, the little book is gone, anyway," continued Zeke. "We've got to
decide what we'll do without it. When do you boys want to start?"

"What do you mean? For the lost mine?" demanded Fred.

"That's what I thought you wanted to do."

"Well, we do all right," said Fred quickly. "Are we ready to start?"

"We can be in a few minutes," said Zeke. "I think we can drop down the
river in the two boats. That will be easier than climbing up the cliffs."

"Great!" exclaimed Fred enthusiastically. "How far can we go with the
boats?"

"Ten or twelve miles," answered Zeke. "And when we stop we'll be more than
half way to Thorn's Gulch. It's so much quicker to go by the river than
over land."

"That will be fine," repeated Fred. "Let's get started."

"It's going to be hot in the middle of the day," suggested Zeke warningly.

"All the more reason then for starting right away," said Grant.

"All right," assented Zeke. "We'll put things to rights here in the camp
and then we'll go down to start on our voyage."

The light tent was folded and concealed under the projecting rock nearby.
Most of the cooking utensils also were hidden or at least placed where
they would not attract the attention of any chance visitor. It was
extremely unlikely that any one would come to the place, although among
the parties visiting the Grand Canyon there might be some who would be
attracted by the safe landing place, just as the Go Ahead Boys and their
guides already had been.

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