The Pony Rider Boys in New Mexico Part 46

While they were doing so, he struck a match and lighted the lantern that they had brought with them from their camp in the foothills. His first care was to bar the door with the heavy wooden timber that he had cut and which he now slipped into its fastenings.

A close examination of the floor revealed no marks save those put there by the treasure-hunter's knife.

"This house seems to be built on the solid ground. I do not think you will find anything under it," protested the Professor.

"There are houses under every one of these buildings," answered Mr.

Marquand. He held a short, keen edged bar in place, while Kris Kringle swung the maul. Gradually they cut a ring about two feet in diameter about the cross. The material of which the floor had been made had been tempered with the years and was almost as hard as flint.

The steady thud of the heavy maul, accompanied by the click, click of the cutting bar, the dim light, the silent, expectant faces, formed a weird picture in this silent desert place.

After a full half hour of this the two men paused, and stood back, drawing sleeves across their foreheads to wipe away the perspiration.

Stacy Brown walked pompously over to the circle.

"Maybe I can fall through it. If I can't, n.o.body can," he said, jumping up and down on the spot where they had been cutting.

There followed a rambling sound, and with a yell, Stacy Brown suddenly disappeared from sight. In place of the circle in which he had been standing was a black, ragged hole, from which particles of the mortar were still crumbling and rattling to the bottom of the pit.

"Are you there?" cried Kris Kringle, leaping to the spot, thrusting the lantern down through the opening. "Master Stacy!"

"Wow!" responded the boy from the depths.

"Did it hurt you?"

"How far did you fall?"

This and other questions were hurled at the fat boy, as his companions crowded about the opening.

"I'm killed. That'll answer all your questions," replied Stacy. "Hurry up! Get my remains out of this place."

The rays of the lantern disclosed a short stairway, built of the same material of which the house itself had been constructed.

Mr. Marquand forced himself past the guide and was down the steps in a twinkling. He was followed by the wondering Pony Rider Boys, Professor Zepplin and Kris Kringle in short order, for all crowded down through the narrow opening.

Chunky had hit the top step and rolled all the way down. He had scrambled to his feet and was rubbing his shins by the time his friends reached him. His clothes were torn and he was covered with dust.

"Fell down the cellar, didn't I?" he grinned.

But no one gave any heed to him now. Mr. Marquand had s.n.a.t.c.hed at the lantern and was running from point to point of the chamber in which they found themselves. He was laboring under great excitement.

"Here's another opening," he shouted. "We haven't got to the bottom yet."

Another flight of stairs led to still another and smaller chamber below. Mr. Marquand let out a yell the moment he reached the bottom.

The others rushed pell-mell after him.

There, with it's top just showing above the dirt was a long iron chest.

"Give me the maul!" shouted the excited treasure seeker.

He attacked the rusty iron fastenings; at last the cover yielded to his thunderous blows and falling on its edge, toppled over to the floor with a crash.

"Somebody's old clothes," chuckled Stacy, peering into the open chest.

The garments, priestly robes that lay at the top, fell to pieces the instant Mr. Marquand laid violent hands on them.

"Look! Look! Was I right or was I wrong?" he cried, beside himself with joy.

There, before their astonished eyes, lay a chest of gold--coins dulled by age, small nuggets and chunks of silver, all heaped indiscriminately in the treasure chest.

"I did it!" shouted Chunky. "I did it with my little feet! I fell in and discovered the treasure!"

The tongues of the Pony Rider Boys were suddenly loosened. Such a shout as they set up probably never had been heard before in the ancient adobe mansion of the Pueblos. Cheer after cheer echoed through the chambers and reached the ears of a dozen desperadoes who were skulking amid the sage brush without.

Professor Zepplin scooped up a handful of the coins and examined them under the lantern.

"Old Spanish coins," he informed them. "Pure gold. And look at these nuggets! Where do you suppose the Indians found them?"

"There are hidden mines in the State," informed Mr. Marquand. "Some of these days they will be discovered. I have been hunting for them myself, but without success. Boys, what do you think of it now? If it had not been for you I might never have seen this sight."

Their eyes were fairly bulging as they gazed at the heap of gold.

Chunky squatted down scooping up a double handful and letting the coins run through his fingers. Then the other boys dipped in, laughing for pure joy, more because their adventure had borne fruit than for the love of the gold itself.

"Must be more'n a bushel of it," announced Stacy.

"Those old Franciscans must have been saving up for a rainy day. And it never rained here at all," suggested Ned humorously.

"Shall we count it?" asked Mr. Marquand.

"Just as you wish," replied the Professor.

"Were I in your place, Mr. Marquand, I should get the stuff out of here as soon as possible. You can't tell what may happen. I would suggest that we secure the treasure and be on our way at once. You will want to get it to a bank as quickly as possible. This is one of the things that cannot be kept quiet."

"You are right. Will somebody go over to the camp and get those gunny sacks of mine? I don't want to lose sight of my find for a minute. You know how I feel about it--not that I do not trust you. You know--"

"Surely we understand," smiled Tad.

"And you all have an interest in it--you shall share the treasure with me--"

"No, we don't," shouted the boys. "We've had more than a million dollars worth of fun out of it already."

"Certainly not," added the Professor.

"We'll discuss that later," said Mr. Marquand firmly. "Just now we must take care of what we have found. Who will get the bags?"

"We will," answered the boys promptly.

"No; you stay here. I'll get them," answered Kris Kringle. "Light me up the stairs so I don't break my neck in this old rookery."