 share, in the event of success, with an
earnestness that proved his faith. After spending an hour near the place,
examining the stones, and searching for the usual indications of the proximity
of ore, the Judge remounted, and suffered his cousin to lead the way to the
place where the mysterious trio had been making their excavation.
    The spot chosen by Jotham was on the back of the mountain that overhung the
hut of Leather-stocking, and the place selected by Natty and his companions was
on the other side of the same hill, but above the road, and, of course, in an
opposite direction to the route taken by the ladies in their walk.
    »We shall be safe in approaching the place now,« said Richard, while they
dismounted and fastened their horses; »for I took a look with the glass, and saw
John and Leather-stocking in their canoe fishing, before we left home, and
Oliver is in the same pursuit; but these may be nothing but shams, to blind our
eyes, so we will be expeditious, for it would not be pleasant to be caught here
by them.«
    »Not on my own land!« said Marmaduke, sternly. »If it be as you suspect, I
will know their reasons for making this excavation.«
    »Mum,« said Richard, laying a finger on his lip, and leading the way down a
very difficult descent to a sort of a natural cavern, which was formed in the
face of the rock, and was not unlike a fire-place in shape. In front of this
place lay a pile of earth, which had evidently been taken from the recess, and
part of which was yet fresh. An examination of the exterior of the cavern, left
the Judge in doubt whether it was one of nature's frolics that had thrown it
into that shape, or whether it had been wrought by the hands of man, at some
earlier period. But there could be no doubt that the whole of the interior was
of recent formation, and the marks of the pick were still visible, where the
soft, lead-coloured rock had opposed itself to the progress of the miners. The
whole formed an excavation of about twenty feet in width, and nearly twice that
distance in depth. The height was much greater than was required for the
ordinary purposes of experiment; but this was evidently the effect of chance, as
the roof of the cavern was a natural stratum of rock, that projected many feet
beyond the base of the pile. Immediately in front of the recess
