Several times
the tools slipped, but at last they held, and slowly the pointed rock
went up, until with a thud it rolled over and several feet away.
"Hurrah, a hole full of small stones!" cried Dick, and leaped down to
pick the stones out. Tom followed, and so did the guide.
"Dick! Tom! Hullo! hullo!" came the unexpected cry from a short distance
away.
"Who is that calling?" demanded Dick.
"It's Sam," replied the guide, looking up. "He's coming here as fast as
he can track it."
"Then something is wrong," said Dick, and for the moment the treasure
was forgotten.
It did not take Sam long to reach them. He was so out of breath that for
several minutes he was unable to talk connectedly. At last he gasped
out:
"Dan Baxter and that big guide--they attacked me and I ran away.
They--they are in possession of our traps."
"Baxter!" ejaculated Dick. "That's the worst yet. They'll steal all our
things and leave us to starve!"
"We might as well go right after them," put in John Barrow.
"Oh, say, let's unearth this treasure first," pleaded Tom.
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