The farther end of the tree trunk was up against a large bowlder, behind which Roger might lie hidden, as secure as he was in the position he had first selected, if he could but reach it un.o.bserved, and he thought he might by crawling along under the protecting shadow of the log. So with this end in view, he proceeded to act. He stretched out on his stomach, regardless of his clothes, like a big snake, and then he began to slowly wriggle toward the men.

It was not easy work, as he dared not raise himself more than a few inches from the ground without the danger of being seen above the log.

Along the dried leaves and gra.s.s he went, pausing every few minutes to peep cautiously over his screen to see if the men were aware of his presence. They seemed all unsuspicious that they were being watched by a sharp-eyed lad, and continued to drive the rod deeper into the earth. At length, after about five minutes of cautious crawling, Roger reached the rock, and he curled himself up behind it with a sigh of satisfaction.

He was now within sixty feet of the men and could easily hear all they said, unless they spoke in whispers, which they were not likely to do.

But the boy seemed to have had his trouble for his pains, for Mr. Dudley and Mr. Ranquist were not saying a word to each other. They were intent on the work, and Roger was keenly disappointed as, just before he started to crawl nearer, he had heard the murmur of their voices in earnest conversation.

But now Mr. Ranquist appeared to have used up all the sections of the steel rod. However, his valise had more tools in it, for he drew out a short iron handle, from which dangled a length of stout chain links.

This chain he wound about the top part of the rod, which projected about a foot from the ground. The loose end of the links he fastened to the handle again. Then he and Mr. Dudley, taking a firm hold of the short bar, proceeded to twist the rod around in the earth. Roger watched them wonderingly. They spent five minutes in this operation, and then ceased, to sit down on the gra.s.s and rest.

"Do you think we'll strike it?" Roger heard Mr. Dudley ask his companion.

"Can't say for sure, but it looks very promising," was the reply.

"Is it gold, or is it oil?" Roger asked himself, softly.

Next, as he watched, he saw Mr. Ranquist take another tool from his valise, which seemed to contain the outfit of a small machine shop. This last instrument was like a lifting jack, very small and light, but exceedingly powerful. With it the two men easily pulled the rod up from where they had driven it in the ground, lifting it section by section and uns.c.r.e.w.i.n.g each one. They seemed to be eager and anxious as they came toward the end, and as the last piece of steel emerged from the small hole, they both bent forward and looked at it closely. They appeared much excited at what they saw, and Mr. Ranquist threw his hat in the air and capered about like a boy.

"Hurrah!" Roger heard him shout, softly, to be sure, for even in his excitement the engineer did not forget his caution. "Hurrah! We've struck it all right. Now to get hold of the land before any of the people about here suspect. I'll tell you, Dudley, our fortunes are made."

The older man seemed scarcely less excited than Mr. Ranquist. He wet his forefinger, touched the end of the rod with it, and then brought his finger to his tongue. He appeared to be tasting some substance. In a moment Mr. Ranquist followed his example, and then the look of triumph came on Mr. Dudley's face, as it had on the countenance of the younger engineer. Roger, forgetting his role of detective, raised himself up, trying to get a sight of the mysterious substance. In the gleam of the sun, on the point of the rod which Mr. Ranquist held, the boy beheld, rather faintly, however, the glitter of something white and sparkling, something that looked like the white crystals of snow.

Mr. Ranquist quickly whittled out a little stake from a tree branch and drove it into the small hole in the earth, whence he had drawn the rod.

This done the men carefully packed their tools in the valise and started away. Roger watched them until they were out of sight. Then he hurried to the spot. He pulled up the stake, expecting to see something to disclose the mystery and reward him for his investigation. But there was nothing to indicate what the men had found that pleased them so.

Roger was greatly disappointed. But he comforted himself with the reflection that, at least, he was on the track of the mystery. He thought quickly and realized that some older head than his must take up the problem now. Yet whom could he tell? Mr. Kimball, he reasoned, would hardly be in a position to give an expert opinion as to what was under the earth. Then, too, he did not want to raise false hopes for his uncle that might be shattered after investigation. He could not imagine what it was the men had found, that they regarded as of such value. They evidently expected to find it, which added to the complications. How did they know at about that spot something was hidden under the surface?

Clearly it must be some mineral substance Roger thought, but what? It didn't seem to be gold, unless it was in some peculiar form. Whatever it was, would it be worth the trouble that might be necessary before it could be come upon and dug out, unless some one, who knew just what they were searching after, did the work? And it was evident that the two men did possess this knowledge, which was so needful.

Roger was in a dilemma, but he resolved to discover a way out, if possible. Carefully marking the location of the stake, that he might find it again, he started home. He came into the vineyard just as his cousin was clearing up the last of the brush.

"Well," said Adrian, "I thought maybe you had gone to the house."

"No," answered Roger, "I was just walking in the woods for my health,"

and he smiled a little.

For certain reasons he did not want even Adrian to know what he had seen.

"We'll take a long walk to-morrow," said Adrian, breaking into a merry whistle. "But something tells me it is nearly supper-time. I'm as hungry as a bear. Hi, Jack!" he called to the dog, and all three started for home, Roger in a sort of day-dream over what he had discovered.

CHAPTER XVIII

A BIG BLACK BEAR

Roger said nothing to the folks at the house of what he had observed. He had a plan, partly worked out in his mind, and he wanted to see whether or not he could accomplish anything before he told his uncle or cousin.

He resolved to wait until after the next day and observe what happened when he and Adrian went to guide Mr. Dudley and Mr. Ranquist over the hills, for Roger shrewdly suspected that the men required no piloting to find what they sought. However, he thought it was not necessary to mention that to any one.

At the time appointed he and Adrian presented themselves at the Pine Tree Inn and asked for the two engineers. Mr. Ranquist came down.

"Ah," he said, looking at his watch and smiling, "you are prompt, I see.

Mr. Dudley and I will be with you in a few minutes."

In a little while the two men appeared, both dressed in rough clothes suitable for a tramp through the woods.

"Well, boys," began Mr. Ranquist, pleasantly, "my friend and I are very anxious to take a little trip about the valley, and we would like particularly to visit the place where the Cardiff giant was found. Can you show that spot to us?"

"Of course I can," said Adrian. "It's right over there," and he pointed to a broad stretch of meadows across the valley flats about three miles off.

"Over there, eh?" remarked Mr. Ranquist, "I had an idea it was back up this way," and he pointed in the opposite direction. "However, as long as it is not where I thought it was, we will defer our trip to see the resting-place of the big stone man until some other time. Mr. Dudley and I would like to get the lay of the land on this side of the hills that slope down into this part of the country," and he waved his hands toward the place where Roger had seen the two engineers at their mysterious operations. "Is there a good path up along there, and could you show us the way? We don't mind roughing it, but we dislike getting lost,"

finished Mr. Ranquist.

"I guess we can show you all right," said Adrian. "Do you want to start now?"

"I think so," Mr. Ranquist answered, so all four began their walk.

Instead of going down the road toward the sulphur spring, which was the way the two engineers had taken first, Adrian suggested a shorter path.

This, he said, would be to go up the Lafayette hill about a mile and then bear off to the right, where he knew of a fairly good trail. So it was decided to take this route. During the climb up the hill Roger recalled the thrilling ride down it a few months before. The boys kept slightly in advance of the men, who walked more slowly than their younger companions, for the lads, in the excess of their muscular energy, wandered from side to side in the road, going over about twice as much ground as was really necessary. But they never noticed such a little thing as that.

Roger glanced back to see if the men were within earshot, and when he found they were not, he spoke to Adrian in a low voice.

"Say, Adrian, is there any way of getting near the spring on your father's place from the path we are to take?" he asked.

"Yes, but what do you want to do that for?"

"Why, if these men are looking for a location for a railroad it might not be a bad plan to show 'em some of your father's land. They might want a bit of it, and if they gave him a good price, as I've heard railroads do, he could pay off that mortgage. No harm in trying."

"Say! That's a good idea," exclaimed Adrian. "I'll do it."

"Don't say anything," cautioned Roger. "Just kind of edge off in the right direction, and when we get to a certain place, I'll say something.

You leave it to me."

"But what's up? What do you mean?" asked Adrian, with sudden interest.

"Oh, nothing in particular," answered Roger. "Look at that fox!" he shouted, quickly, as he picked up a stone and threw it at the animal.

"Where? Where is it?" yelled Adrian, all excitement.

"He's gone now," said Roger, "but he was right there by that old stump."

"We'll have to come up here with a trap and a gun if there's foxes,"

decided Adrian. "Their skins bring good money."

The boys kept on up the hill and soon came to the place where they were to leave the main road and strike into the woods. They waited a few minutes for their older companions to catch up, and then took up the lead again. All four kept closely together now, so there was little chance for the boys to converse without being overheard. Accordingly they confined their talk to comment on what they saw along the path.

Both listened intently to what the two men were saying, but Mr. Dudley and Mr. Ranquist were apparently exchanging opinions on past occurrences.

They talked of something which had taken place in New York. Not once did they refer to a railroad or anything like it. They seemed content to tramp along, paying no attention to the beauties of nature on every side of them. The trees, that bore more than half their summer suits of green, the soft moss under foot, the flitting of the birds from branch to branch--all these had no attractions for them. But to Roger such sights were a constant enjoyment, and he took in deep breaths of the balmy air, laden, as it was, with health.