I can't see how it belongs to any old estate, though,"
he added. "Looks like everybody's property to me."
"Perhaps it was the knowledge of the whereabouts of the mine that
had value," suggested Nestor, "and not the fact of ownership.
Anyway, we've found it."
The walls of the cavern appeared to blaze with gold, in flakes and
in small nuggets. Here and there were empty pockets which appeared
to have been stripped of their rich holdings. Upon inspection the
floor of the chamber was found to be covered, in places, with crushed
rock, where blocks cut from the walls had been broken up.
"There is no knowing how many million dollars worth of gold have been
taken from here," Nestor said, "and there is no way of estimating,
at this time, how far this rich rock extends into the mountain. The
fact that the mine was abandoned may indicate that the ore became less
valuable as the workers cut out from the center."
"It is rich enough now to pay for working, all right! cried Jimmie.
"There appears to be millions in sight," Nestor said, putting away his paper.
CHAPTER XX.
BLACK BEARS TO THE RESCUE.
Frank Shaw drew Nestor aside as the boys searched about the
cavern for nuggets. As a small one was occasionally discovered,
the quest was conducted with an enthusiasm which left the two
to themselves.
"It is a strange chance that has brought us to this mine," Nestor
said, thoughtfully. "It seems like a fairy tale come true."
"Do you really think this is the long lost Tolford mine?" asked Frank.
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