Frank Merriwell, Junior's, Golden Trail; Or, The Fugitive Professor

the chunk in its fall, he hooked up a knee between his hands, and grew thoughtful. Clancy found a seat fo

d, Chip?" he asked. "There isn'

s knee, and look

the morning," said he

old time," said the red-headed fellow cheerfull

andwiches, crackers, and cheese which McGurvin had provided for a "hand-out." The

exactly a cinch that Borrodaile has been here. It's probable, but not absolutel

bite, he had a thought that caused him to look up quickly. "Unless," he added. "Blunt and his frie

hook hi

ds. Maybe he did. Possibly he collected the professor's goods and chattels and rode off with them. It isn't likely, though. Cow-punchers wouldn't be apt to do all that freighting on horseback. Would they take the trouble to balance a cot across one of their horse

ancy. "Why didn't he tell us about it? It couldn't have

l Borrodaile bobs up and clears away the mystery himself. I've a hunch that Blunt is the key to this rid

ke McGurvin wouldn't tell the truth if it w

who has been roaming these deserts all his

in. I thought we had agreed to let him

ve you my estimate of McGurvin's truthfulness. Porter couldn't

d a little in the morning. A good deal of the night has gone, anyway, and

us. Now that we're here, we'd better wait until morning and see if anything develops. We'll

down on the old clay floor with lumps of broken adobe for pillows. In spite of the hard

believe that several hours had passed. The sun was shining into the old ruin through the hanging door. Me

ckbone? I've counted a dozen on mine. This mattress was harder than the one i

ight and-er-turned in. What's happened, since I closed my eyes, is a perfect blank. How about that spring? I

!" cried Clancy, b

e water was cool and clear, and the pool into which the water dripped was big enough for a partial ducking. Handkerch

make a detour by way of the ledge and the professor's mine. Let's make sure,

anished. The shelf was gouged and disfigured as though some one had put do

we might lay to Blunt. I don't think, though, that

"Some one has been here, anyhow. Did the professo

stick of giant powder. No, Clan, it wasn't Professor Borrodaile. Th

re gold, and the rock was covered with a fuzzy yellow web of pure metal. Wh

would mean a whole lot in dollars and c

rds from the ledge and pointing to a bit of ore that lay on the ground. "There is some of the fel

r a few moments, and then

ou back, Chip, for the five you gave McGurvin in excha

r a couple of rods strai

another ore sample. "That makes two chunks of the stuff the thief lost. He was p

oofs along the course where this ore was dropped. Ballard ought to be here to do the Sherlock Holmes racket for us

ag weighing two or three hundred pounds over his shoulder? Of cou

u guess it

hoofm

unguarded. He ought to begin working it, or else sell it to some one who'll see that it's take

hey found another. Fifty feet from that they found a fourth piece; and then as they paused at the lane leading through the heart of the rui

exclaimed Merry, "from l

excitedly. "Say, maybe we can follow th

tion, and yet one that mig

akfast. Come on, Clan, and we'll take another fall

his mind. He stopped short and stared at Clancy. T

it all, Chip, this is quite a jolt to a fellow who isn't at all superstitiou