The Go Ahead Boys and Simons Mine | Page 8

excitedly.
"Where?" inquired John.
"They were on the train when we came. They sat right across the aisle
from us. I'm sure they are the same men for I never shall forget the scar
on the left cheek of that short one."
The two approaching strangers were now so near that it was possible
for John to confirm the statement of his friend. A long livid scar,
extending almost entirely across his left cheek, was visible on the face
of the younger man. His companion was taller, evidently at least ten
years older and had a face which was not altogether prepossessing at
first sight.

"Yes, sir," repeated Fred. "I saw both those fellows on the car the day
before we left the train."
"Evenin'," called the man with the scar.
"Same to you," retorted Zeke.
"We're doin' a bit o' prospecting or at least we expect to do some and
got caught up here in a gully which we can't very well get across where
we are. We saw the smoke of your fire and thought we might come
down and perhaps you would invite us to spend the night with you."
"You're entirely welcome," said Zeke. The guide's manner was quiet
and there was nothing to belie the apparent cordiality of the statement
he had just made.
The young campers, however, were by no means convinced that their
unbidden visitors were parties whom they could welcome.
Already the sun was below the western cliffs, although its beams in
certain places still flashed between the mountains and tinged the sides
of the adjacent canyon with myriad dancing and delicate colors.
Hospitality, however, was a part of the life on the plains and seldom
was any unexpected guest turned away from a human habitation or
company. Suspicious though the boys certainly were they did not offer
any protest and in response to their invitation to share in the remnants
of their evening meal, the two strangers at once accepted and seated
themselves not far from the camp-fire.
It was not until they had eaten that they explained more in detail who
and what they were. Not long before this time they had come from
Tombstone to search for a mine of whose existence they declared they
had received information from certain somewhat vague reports.
"The trouble is, Mr. Stranger," one of them explained, "that we don't
know just where this mine is. There was a report in Tombstone that an
old prospector up here had struck it rich, but that he died or at least

hadn't been heard from since the report started. The Indians say that he
was looking for his mine in a part of the country where the Great Spirit
has forbidden the children o' men to come. They declare that this
prospector didn't die a natural death."
"What did he die of?" inquired Zeke.
"Why they say that no man ever goes into that region and comes out
alive, or if he does happen to succeed in that, he can't dodge the bad
luck which is sure to catch him."
"And do you want to find the place?" inquired Fred quizzically.
"We do and if there is any such place we're going to find it."
The four boys meanwhile had glanced apprehensively at one another
when they heard the reference to the discovery of a mine which soon
had been lost. The statement too that the original prospector was dead
increased the mystery as well as the interest of the Go Ahead Boys.
What would these strangers say if they knew that already in the
possession of the Go Ahead Boys was the statement of an old
prospector who very likely was the very one to whom the unwelcome
guests had frequently referred?
CHAPTER IV
TWO THIEVES IN THE NIGHT
The question was speedily answered when, to the dismay of his
companions, John said abruptly, "That must be something like the man
whose body we found to-day."
Instantly both strangers were staring at the boy who had spoken. Even
in the dim light their intense interest was plainly manifest. Zeke was
doing his utmost by absurd motions to impress upon the mind of John
the fact that he must say nothing more.

The two visitors at the camp, however, were too deeply interested to
lose the opportunity. Speaking slowly and as if he was not especially
interested, the man with the scar on his face said in a drawling manner,
"Where was that, sonny?"
"I don't know just where it was," replied John. "We found the body or
rather the bones of a man to-day."
"What did you do with them?"
"Buried them, of course." John was aware now that his friends were
angry at his uncalled-for statements. His obstinacy, however, had been
aroused and he was ignoring all