The unexpected announcement of Professor Snodgrass came as a startling confirmation to the story told by the old miner. The scientist, having finished making an entry in his note-book, had come up, and listened to the recital. All eyes were now turned on him.
“Was Amos Deering your cousin?” asked Sledge Hammer Tod, thinking he might not have heard aright; then, too, he was not quite satisfied as to the perfect sanity of the bald-headed man.
“He was,” replied the scientist. “Amos was always fond of a roving life, and when he heard of a place out West where he could take up some gold claims, he organized a party to go with him. It was in the year that I discovered a five-legged frog, and wrote a book about it. Amos wanted me to go with the party, saying I could find many specimens if I did not want to hunt for gold. But I declined. However, he and a number of venturesome persons went. We waited in vain for some news, and at last it came. It was to the effect that the entire party had been led off into the mountains by the Indians, and killed. Poor Amos, to think I should meet somebody out here who knew of him!”
“Well, it’s true that the party was led off to the mountains, and by the Indians,” said Tod, “but it’s not altogether so sure that they were killed. Maybe some are living yet, though where they are is a mystery.”
“From the clews left by Mr. Bell, it would seem that they are alive,” suggested Jerry. “Mr. Bell practically says the party is alive, and in his letter to his son, the torn parts of which epistle I found in the airship, he says he is about to go to their rescue. They are in some sort of a valley, I take it, hard to get at. That’s why Mr. Bell thought of an airship, and why he started to find us, but, instead, met with Noddy Nixon. Now, the question is, can we find that valley?”
Sledge Hammer Tod shook his head doubtfully.
“Lost Valley it’s called,” he said. “Many have tried to find it, but have failed—miners of experience—for there is a rumor that gold is plentiful in it. And, not only is it hard to find, but there is danger from the Indians.”
“I thought all the Indians were on Government reservations,” commented Bob.
“Not all,” answered Tod. “Some broke away, and are still in the Colorado mountains, I believe. Perhaps the remnant of this tribe is in possession of Lost Valley. Anyhow, I don’t believe it would be safe to look for it, even if it was possible to find it, which I doubt.”
“My poor cousin,” said Professor Snodgrass, sadly. “I had given him up for dead, but now, to hear that there is a possibility of him being alive, makes me wish I could help rescue him.”
“And you can!” exclaimed Jerry quickly.
“How?” asked the scientist eagerly. “Do you mean that you are going to try to find Lost Valley?”
“I certainly am,” declared Jerry, firmly. “That is one reason why I came West in the Comet. I wanted to protect our mine, but, now that we are on hand before Noddy’s gang has arrived, I don’t believe there is much danger on that score. We can devote most of our time to finding the mysterious valley, and, once we locate it, we will rescue any who are left of the missing Deering Band. We will search for the valley in the airship!”
“You’ll never find it!” predicted Tod, with a dubious shake of his head.
“Say, you don’t know these motor boys,” spoke Jim Nestor, admiringly. “Once they set out to do a thing they generally finish it. I wouldn’t want to gamble that they couldn’t find that valley, Tod.”
“Well, they may stumble on it, if they hunt long enough, but the Indians will never let them get into it.”
“We’ll see,” declared Jerry, smiling grimly. “Anyhow, we won’t give up until we get there. If we can rescue those who are left it’s worth fighting the Indians to accomplish.”
“That’s right, and I’m with you!” cried Jim Nestor.
“And you can count on me, when it comes to a fight!” added Sledge Hammer Tod with energy.
The whole party now began an engrossing discussion of the missing Amos Deering and his friends. Tod told such other details as occurred to him, and Professor Snodgrass was so interested that he forgot to hunt for bugs.
“But what I can’t understand,” said Ned, “is what has become of Mr. Bell? Why did he disappear so mysteriously?”
“I think I can explain that,” replied Jerry. “He probably learned, soon after starting with Noddy, that Jack and the bully were not the owners of the airship. Mr. Bell probably left in a hurry, either before or just after the accident. He may have imagined that we had sold the airship to Noddy, and despairing of help in that direction he may have come back west here.”
“In that case we’ll see him,” suggested Bob.
“Perhaps. But the thing for us to do is to get ready to hunt for that valley. As soon as we have rested up, and given our craft an overhauling, we’ll start for the place.”
The airship was made secure against storms, and then our three heroes and Professor Snodgrass proceeded to make themselves comfortable in one of the several cabins at the mine. Bob’s desire for food was gratified, the Chinese cook soon serving an excellent meal.
The next two days were spent in going over the airship, and in arranging for supplies and provisions for the long tour. Mr. Tod went off on a little trip, to see an old miner, and make some inquiries regarding Lost Valley. He came back the third day after the arrival of the boys, but the information he secured was not much more definite than that which he already possessed.
“We’ll just have to prospect for that valley,” he said.
“We,” repeated Jim Nestor. “Are you going along, Tod?”
“Wa’al, I calalated that if the airship would hold me I’d like to go. I ain’t fit any Indians for a long time, and I’d sort of like the sensation.”
“Oh, the airship will carry a large party, though we have not sleeping accommodations for many,” said Jerry. “That is, if we should happen to rescue the people of the valley.”
“Oh, I guess you can make out,” answered Tod. “But I say, Jim, you ain’t got any objections to my goin’; have you?”
“Not a bit. Glad to have you go with the boys. I’ll have to stay here and look after the mine, although I guess Noddy and his gang have about given up trying to get it.”
How mistaken Jim was he found out three days later. It was toward the close of the afternoon, when he, with the three boys, was sitting near the mouth of the shaft. Professor Snodgrass, as usual, was out collecting specimens.
Up the road that led from Rockyford, the nearest town to the gold diggings, came four figures. The motor boys and Jim Nestor looked up as they saw them.
“Hello! Something’s doing,” announced Jim, with a snapping shut of his jaws. “There’s Mike Malone, one of the deputy sheriffs. Wonder what he wants?”
But the interest of them all was centred more in the three figures that followed the deputy. For they were none others than Noddy Nixon, Bill Berry and Tom Dalsett. They came on with a confident air.
“Howdy,” called Malone to the miner, as soon as he was within hailing distance.
“Howdy,” answered Jim. “What’s up?”
Then, before the deputy sheriff could answer, Noddy Nixon broke in with:
“We’ve come to take possession of our mine! You fellows have had it long enough. We’re going to clear you all out, and get the gold ourselves. I told you I’d get ahead of you, Jerry Hopkins!” and Noddy sneered at the three motor boys, while Tom Dalsett and Bill Berry grinned maliciously.