In Camp on the Big Sunflower | Page 6

of the long-shaped bivalves in his eager hands, the better to examine it.
"They agree with the description to a dot," Owen replied, confidently; "and, to my mind, these seem particularly fat and promising."
"T-t-tell me about that, now, will you?" gasped Toby, who was also examining a prize. "S-s-say, Max, why looky here, I've picked up these s-sort of c-c-clams many a t-time when d-diving."
"I reckon we all have, and opened them, too, to eat," replied Max, with a good-natured laugh; "but not being wise to the pearl racket at the time, it never struck us that we ought to examine the shellfish closely before swallowing."
"Bet you more'n one pearl has gone down my red lane then," grinned Bandy-legs; "because, you see, I always used to be mighty fond of fresh or pickled mussels. Say, perhaps I'm a walking jewelry shop right now, fellers. Mebbe I'm carrying around a whole pearl outfit. Wow! it makes me feel uneasy-like."
"D-d-don't you worry any, my b-b-boy," broke in Toby; "no danger of anybody t-t-trying to k-k-kidnap you, even if your pouch was lined with p-p-pearls."
"That's wise of you to say such kind things, Toby! I'll remember it, too," said the other, reproachfully.
"But, see here," remarked Steve, "what's to hinder us from breaking open these mussels right now, and finding out if they've got anything worth saving sewed up inside?"
"Be sure and keep the meat, then, fellows," broke out the boy with the crooked legs. "Two apiece all around means ten, and that ought to make a nice little dish of stewed mussels."
"Yes, j-j-just so, for t-two," asserted Toby.
Each boy thereupon set eagerly to work opening the pair of shellfish that had fallen to his share. Being unfamiliar with the methods employed they were doubtless all more or less clumsy. One by one they succeeded in accomplishing the task, and immediately set to work examining the contents for any sign of a prize.
Silence reigned for several minutes. Then Max addressed his four chums, inquiring:
"Are you all through?"
An affirmative answer came from each one of the others in turn.
"What luck, Owen?" asked the master of ceremonies, turning upon his cousin.
"Nothing doing here," came the response.
"How about you, Bandy-legs?" Max went on.
"All a bluff; nary a show of color," was the way the disappointed one made answer.
"Steve?"
"Nixy, nothing from me. I've searched every particle of the blooming old things, but pearls seem to be as scarce as hens' teeth. Perhaps these ain't the right kind of fresh-water clams, after all."
"Yes, they are," replied Max; "and how is it with you, Toby?" and there seemed to be something like confidence in the way he turned to the last member of the Ranger Boys' Club, for he had not been secretly watching Toby for nothing.
"I found only a r-r-rotten little p-p-pebble," replied Toby.
"Let me see it, then?" asked Max.
"Oh! c-c-come now, Max, you're j-just trying to string me. S-sure that ugly little crooked thing could never be a valuable pearl?" remonstrated Toby.
"Perhaps not, Toby, but all the same I'd like to take a look at it," answered Max.
"Fork over, Toby," commanded Bandy-legs, with almost too great a vein of authority in his voice.
The stutterer looked halfway belligerent; then, as if thinking better of his first desire for a wordy conflict, he passed the tiny object across the table to Max.
Both he and Owen examined it by the aid of a strong magnifying glass.
"It's a pearl, all right," announced Max, finally.
"Oh! joy! joy!" exclaimed Toby, ready to leap to his feet and begin a jig.
"But without any particular commercial value," Owen said, once again freezing the enthusiasm of the stammering, excited Toby.
"All the same, it ought to encourage us to begin work dredging the Big Sunflower," remarked Steve, as he started in to examine the first find of the expedition.
"It certainly will," Owen declared. "But, see here, Max, what are you grinning about?"
"He's found something in his old oyster, bet you a cooky!" ejaculated Bandy-legs, excitedly.
"Is that so, Max? Did you see our friend Toby, here, and go him one better?" asked Steve.
Max was still smiling broadly.
"You've got me up against the fence, fellows," he admitted. "Caught me with the goods on, as they say. Yes, it's a fact, I did find something in that second tough old mussel shell I opened."
"Was it really a decent pearl, Max?" pleaded Steve.
"Look for yourselves, boys, and tell me what you think."
As he spoke, Max opened his left hand.
The action allowed a small, milk-white object, much smaller than a pea, to escape. It rolled upon the board which composed the table; and as the fire burned brightly, all of the boys could easily examine it.
One by one they picked the tiny white object up and held it at several angles, to see how the glow of the fire seemed to reflect in faint