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"That must have been Ventner," suggested Will. "Mother of Moses!" cried Elmer. "Has that fellow got into the mine again? Does he know you're here?" "He knew that we were here," was the answer, "but he thinks we've gone away! He's down in the mine now, hunting for a pot of diamonds in the refuse cast aside by the miners." "Well, you've got him into the mine, at last," Will suggested.
Then we wouldn't have to go sneaking around the mine in order to keep out of his way!" "That would be a foolish move," insisted Dick, "because every stroke of the pick Ventner takes he helps us along in the game we're playing." "You're the original little mystery boy, ain't you?" said Tommy rather crossly. "All right, I'll get even."
"Keep your eye out for the third boy," George chuckled, as the lads walked up and down the platform. "Don't get excited about the third boy," Will replied. "We'll find him when the right time comes!" "There's Ventner!" exclaimed Tommy as the detective came rushing down the platform. "Of course the good, kind gentleman would want to bid us farewell!"
"Well, he's got a good, large mine to look in if he's in search of treasure," George suggested. "He can spend the rest of his days here, provided the operators don't get sore on him." While the boys looked, Ventner turned toward the entrance to the chamber, and they scampered away. Turning back, they saw him pass out of the place where he had been working and into a similar excavation farther on.
"But Ventner came here to search for the boys himself!" George broke in. "At least, he says that he did." "There's a mystery about the whole matter," Sandy declared, "and I'd like to help clear it up from beginning to end!" "We're likely to have a chance!" laughed Tommy. "What are we going to do all the afternoon?" George asked.
"So the money is there?" asked Will. The news seemed too good to be true! "It was there when we were first thrown into the chamber," replied Jimmie, "but I have an idea that Ventner sneaked in and removed it so as to prevent his mates getting any share." A light flashed out from below, followed immediately by a pistol shot!
We think, though, that the money is there!" "Then we mustn't let Ventner get it!" exclaimed Will. "It won't do him any good to get it after that stick of dynamite explodes!" exclaimed Tommy. "It'll blow him to Kingdom Come." "Well, why don't we go down and see about it?" asked Will "Not for me!" exclaimed Tommy.
"I've just heard from a railway brakeman," Ventner said, rushing up to the boys with an air of importance, "that the two lads you are in search of were seen leaving a box car at a little station in Ohio. I don't just recall the name of the station now, but I can find it by looking on the map!
It strikes me that we'd better give the place a thorough search before we waste much time looking for Ventner. If, as Tommy says, he never left the mine by way of the shaft, we've got him blocked in, all right!" The boys now began a careful examination of the cross-cutting where the explosion had taken place. As has been stated, more than one pillar had been blown out.
It was decided to leave Sandy and Dick at the point where the explosion had taken place, while Will, Elmer and Jimmie followed on down the gangway. "Now whatever you do," warned Will as the two boys were left behind, "don't leave this gangway for a minute. If Ventner isn't out of the mine now we don't want him to get out. He may money or he may not.
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