Brewster carefully looking it over with the eye of an expert miner.
His first words were a decided shock.
"Ah wouldn't set much store about this mine, girls! You-all don't see
what Ah see in this discovery. It's gold--yes, it looks to me like red-
gold of good quality, and if it is as you say--a cavern exposed so any
one can value it off-hand, so much the better! But, the end of Top
Notch Trail, where you doubtless spent the night, is a far haul from
Oak Creek, and the chasm in front, and the mountain on top, are
drawbacks to mining. However, we will ride into Oak Creek in the
morning and file this claim of yours and see if it comes anywhere near
to being the one old Montresor left, Polly. It would give me the
keenest joy to be able to say something to a few of the mean old
rascals about Oak Creek, who called me a fool for paying the funeral
costs and filing the claim of that kind old man, Montresor!"
"But, Dad--father! If this mine happens to cross the claim staked by
Mr. Montresor, will it interfere with our filing a new claim?" asked
Polly, anxiously.
"It depends on how much ground you covered with your corners!" replied
her father.
"You can depend upon it, I covered all I could think might come within
a mile of gold!" laughed Polly.
"Well, girls, listen to some good advice on this! Not a word to be said
about this cave--not even among yourselves until the claim is filed and
investigated! You see, the walls have ears when any one speaks of gold!
Then, having attended to the legal aspects of the mine, we will all
ride over to remain a few days, as visitors to Old Mr.
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