"We have certainly struck it rich," went on Abe, as he went back to where he had dug the hole. "Now we"d better all begin prospectin"
here, for it looks like a big deposit. We"ll stake out a large enough claim to take it all in. I guess Mr. Parker can do that, seein" as how he knows about such things."
The scientist agreed to do this part of the work, it being understood that all the gold discovered would be shared equally after the expenses of the trip had been paid.
Feverishly Abe and the others began to dig. They did not come upon such a rich deposit as the miner had found, but there were enough nuggets picked up to prove that the expedition would be very successful.
No more attention was paid to the Fogers, but through the telescope Tom could see that the bully and his father had made a camp in one of the ice caves, and that both were eagerly digging in the frozen surface of the valley.
Before night several thousand dollars" worth of gold had been taken out by our friends. It was stored in the airship, and then, after supper the craft"s searchlight was taken off, and placed in such a position in front of the cave of ice so that the beams would illuminate the claim staked out by Tom and the others.
"We"ll stand watch an" watch," suggested Abe, "but I don"t think them Fogers will come around here ag"in."
They did not, and the night pa.s.sed peacefully. The next day our friends were again at work digging for gold. So were the Fogers, as could be observed through the gla.s.s, but it was impossible to see whether they got any nuggets.
The gold seemed to be in "pockets," and that day the ones in the vicinity of the strike first made by Abe were cleaned out.
"We"ll have to locate some new "pockets,"" said the miner, and the adventurers scattered over the frozen plain to look for other deposits of the precious metal.
Tom and Ned were digging together not far from one another. Suddenly Ned let out a joyful cry.
"Strike anything?" asked Tom.
"Something rich," answered the bank clerk. He lifted from a hole in the ground a handful of the golden pebbles.
"It"s as good as Abe"s was!" exclaimed Tom. "We must stake it out at once, or the Fogers may jump it. Come on, we"ll go back and tell Abe, and get Mr. Parker and Mr. Damon over here."
The three men were some distance away, and there was no sign of the Fogers. Tom and Ned hurried back to where their friends were, leaving their picks and shovels on the frozen ground.
The good news was soon told, and, with some stakes hastily made from some extra wood carried on the airship, the little party hastened back to where Tom and Ned had made their strike.
As they emerged from behind a big hummock of ice they saw, standing over the holes which the lads had dug, Andy Foger and his father!
Each one had a rifle, and there was a smile of triumph on Andy"s face!
"What are you doing here?" cried Tom, the hot blood mounting to his cheeks.
"We"ve just staked out a claim here," answered the bully.
"And you deserted it," put in Mr. Foger smoothly. "I think your mining friend will tell you that we have a right to take up an abandoned claim."
"But we didn"t abandon it!" declared Tom. "We only went away to get the stakes."
"The claim was abandoned, and we have "jumped" it," went on Mr.
Foger, and he c.o.c.ked his rifle. "I need hardly tell you that possession is nine points of the law, and that we intend to remain.
Andy, is your gun loaded?"
"Yes, pa."
"I--I guess they"ve got us--fer th" time bein"," murmured Abe, as he motioned to Tom and the others to come away. "Besides they"ve got guns, an" we haven"t--but wait," added the miner, mysteriously. "I haven"t played all my tricks yet."
CHAPTER XXIII
ATTACKED BY NATIVES
To state that Tom and his friends were angry at the trick the Fogers had played on them would be putting it mildly. There was righteous indignation in their hearts, and, as for the young inventor he felt that much blame was attached to him for his neglect in not remaining on guard at the place of the lucky strike while Ned went to call the others.
"I guess Andy must have been spying on us," spoke Ned, "or he would never have known when to rush up just as he did; as soon as we left."
"Probably," admitted Tom, bitterly.
"But, bless my penholder!" cried Mr. Damon. "Can"t we do something, Abe? Won"t the law--?"
"There ain"t any law out here, except what you make yourself," said the miner. "I guess they"ve got us for th" time bein"."
"What do you mean by that?" asked Tom, detecting a gleam of hope in Abe"s tone.
"Well, I mean that I think we kin git ahead of "em. Come on back to th" ship, an" we"ll talk it over."
They walked away, leaving Andy and his father in possession of the rich deposits of gold, and that it was much richer even then than the hole Abe had first discovered was very evident. The two Fogers were soon at work, digging out the yellow metal with the pick and shovels Tom and Ned had so thoughtlessly dropped.
"What little law there is out here they"ve got on their side," went on Abe, "an" they"ve got possession, too, which is more. Of course we could go at "em in a pitched battle, but I take it you don"t want any bloodshed?" and he looked at Tom.
"Of course not," replied the lad quickly, "but I"d like to meet Andy alone, with nothing but my fists for a little while," and Tom"s eyes snapped.
"So would I," added Ned.
"Perhaps we can find another pocket of gold better than that one,"
suggested Mr. Damon.
"We might," admitted Abe, "but that one was ours an" we"re ent.i.tled to it. This valley is rich in gold deposits, but you can"t allers put your hand on "em. We may have t" hunt around for a week until we strike another. An", meanwhile, them Fogers will be takin" our gold!
It"s not to be borne! I"ll find some way of drivin" "em out. An"
we"ve got t" do it soon, too."
"You mean if we don"t that they"ll get all the gold?" asked Mr.
Damon.
"No, I mean that soon it will be th" long night up here, an" we can"t work. We"ll have t" go back, an" I don"t want t" go back until I"ve made my pile."
"Neither do any of us, I guess," spoke Tom, "but there doesn"t seem to be any help for it."
They discussed several plans on reaching the ship, but none seemed feasible without resorting to force, and this they did not want to do, as they feared there might be bloodshed. When night closed in they could see the gleam of a campfire, kindled by the Foger party, at the gold-pocket, from bits of the scrubby trees that grew in that frigid clime.
"They"re going to stay on guard," announced Tom. "We can"t get it away from them to-night."
Though Abe had spoken of some plan to regain the advantage the Fogers had of them, the old miner was not quite ready to propose it.
All the next day he seemed very thoughtful, while going about with the others, seeking new deposits of gold. Luck did not seem to be with them. They found two or three places where there were traces of the yellow pebbles, but in no very great quant.i.ty.