The Young Treasure Hunter | Page 7

but, unfortunately, just as they were setting out to
find the buried treasure, Stults died."
"And they never found the gold?"
"They never found it. Stults had a sort of map, showing the location of
it, but no one could make head or tail of that map after he was dead.

Several parties made the attempt, but they all failed. Some were frozen
to death, and others were driven from the country by the savage Indians.
So, up to the present time, no one has found the Stults treasure, as far as
I know."
"What became of the map?"
"Oh, that, and a few personal belongings of the old German gold hunter,
were sent to his widow. I heard that she raised money and sent out an
expedition after the gold, for she was familiar with her husband's
handwriting and understood what certain words on the map meant,
which was more than those who first saw it knew. But it fared no better
than the others. So the treasure must be there still. Now if you only had
a share of that, you and your folks wouldn't have to worry."
"No, indeed, but I guess the chances are very small for me finding that
gold, even if I could go to Alaska, which is impossible."
"Yes, I am afraid so. Still, when you grow up you may want to have a
try for it. I think Mrs. Stults is living yet, and, I understand, she has a
standing offer of half the treasure to whoever will find it."
"Is that so? Where does Mrs. Stults live?"
"The last I heard she was in Denville, California."
"Denville? Why that is not more than twenty-five miles from Piddock!"
exclaimed Fred, a sudden idea coming into his mind.
"So near as that? Well, why don't you go and see her, get a copy of the
map, and hunt for the gold?" and the old miner laughed as if it was a
joke.
"Maybe I will," replied Fred, in a curiously quiet voice, as he rose to
leave the dining-room of the hotel.
CHAPTER IV

FRED HAS HOPES
"How long will it take you to get home?" asked Mr. Gardner of Fred, as
he accompanied him toward the street.
"Oh, about three hours. I'm a pretty fast walker, and it's mostly down
hill."
"Then you'd better take my tame snake."
"Your snake? Oh, you mean the donkey."
"Yes, I think he would go pretty well down hill. He could slide most of
the way. Better let me get him for you. You can send him back
whenever you get ready. I shan't want him for a week or so."
"Thank you very much, but I think I'll walk."
"Well, maybe you'll get home a little sooner, even if it is down hill.
Stop and see me whenever you're in this direction. I don't expect to go
to prospecting right away, and I'm going to make this hotel my
headquarters."
"Thank you, Mr. Gardner, I will."
"And give my regards to your father. I'd like to see him."
"I will do so, but I'm afraid you can't see him unless you call. He is not
able to get very far from the house."
"Then I'll try to call. Don't forget to say that Old Bill Gardner was
asking for him. And if he wants to have a try at the Stults treasure, why,
I'll give him a letter of introduction to the widow. I know her."
"Do you?" asked Fred eagerly. "Then perhaps you would give me a
letter?"
"Give you one? Why, you don't expect to have a try for it; do you?"

"I don't know," replied the boy seriously. "I would like to talk to my
father about it. But I have another scheme in mind. If I had a letter to
Mrs. Stults, she might be able to tell me where I could get work. I
believe you said she had an interest in some mines."
"She has, and she might be able to get you a place. I did not think of
that. But Denville is quite a way off."
"Well, I may have to go quite a distance before I can get a job."
"All right. Wait a few minutes and I'll write you a letter of introduction
to Mrs. Stults. She is rather a peculiar German woman, slow-going, and
she doesn't make her mind up in a hurry."
"Then I will give her plenty of time to consider matters, Mr. Gardner."
In a little while, charged with messages of remembrance to his father,
and bearing the letter of introduction to the widow, Fred was on his
way home. He stepped out at a quick pace, for in spite of his long walk
that morning he did not feel tired, as he was