Chapter XXX: Something of a Find—conclusion

The discovery which Jack had made filled all three of the cadets with excitement, and they gazed at the rock and tree-root in wonder and expectation.

“Oh, I hope the pot of gold is really there!” cried Andy.

“We’ll have to dig for it,” returned Pepper. “Come on! I wish I had a spade.”

“So do I.”

“We’ll have to use our knives and some sticks,” put in the young major. “And our hands too.”

They were soon digging away at the foot of the rock. Then they pulled away some of the rotten tree-roots that were near.

“Look out, there is a snake!” ejaculated Andy, a moment later. But the reptile was small and harmless, and quickly got out of sight in the bushes.

“I wonder if there are any more around,” ventured Jack. He did not like snakes in the least.

“We’ll have to keep our eyes open,” answered Pepper.

Once more they made the dirt fly, loosening it with their knives and some sharp-pointed sticks, and scooping it away with their hands. They did not mind getting dirty—all their thoughts were on uncovering the pot of gold, if it was really there.

“This doesn’t look like anything,” grumbled Andy, after they had been digging the best part of half an hour.

“Do you want to give up?” questioned Jack, quickly.

“Not yet.”

“Here is a flat stone,” said Pepper. “It is quite large, too. We will have some trouble getting it up.”

“Perhaps it is placed directly over the pot of gold,” said Andy.

They worked all around the flat stone and then pried up one end with a heavy stick. Pepper placed his hand beneath.

“There is something under it,” he announced. “Feels like an iron pot!”

“Let us get that stone up!” cried Jack.

They tugged and strained with might and main, and at last the flat rock came up out of the hole. Beneath was the cover to an old rusty pot and beneath this the pot itself, resting in a bed of dirt and small stones.

“Hurrah! here it is!” cried Andy. “Bring it up, Jack!”

It was no easy matter to bring up the iron pot, which was heavy, but at last they had it out on the grass. The lid was rusted fast, but they speedily pried it off.

“Empty!” ejaculated Pepper, looking into the receptacle, and his face fell.

“All our work for nothing,” murmured Andy.

“No, it is not empty,” said Jack. “That is an iron plate resting near the bottom. Wait till I pry it up with my knife blade.”

He set to work, and soon the iron plate came up. Beneath lay some dull yellow round pieces of metal.

“Gold!” shouted the young major. “Old English and Spanish gold!”

“Are you sure it is gold?” queried Pepper.

“Yes. Look for yourself,” and Jack brushed off one of the pieces on his coat-sleeve. “Boys, we’re in luck! We have certainly found the pot with gold in it that Mr. Strong has been looking for so long!”

“Not very much gold,” said Andy. “I thought there would be a pot full.”

“It doesn’t take much gold to make quite a sum, Andy. You know a ten-dollar gold piece isn’t very large.”

“That is true.”

The boys inspected the pieces with interest and counted them up. All told there were four hundred and twenty-three pieces, some large and some small, English, French, and Spanish gold, as they made out by some of the tarnished markings.

“Let us take the pot and all along,” said Pepper. “Mr. Strong will wish to see the whole thing.”

“And let us mark this place, so we can find it again,” added Andy.

They hung the pot with its contents on a stout stick, and two carried it at a time. Having marked the neighborhood, they set off along the trail, and after a rather tedious walk reached the highway running into Cedarville.

“I know where we are now,” said Jack. “We needn’t go all the way to Cedarville. We can branch off a little way below here and go directly to Putnam Hall.”

They followed his advice, and half an hour later, just as the sun was setting, came in sight of the school. They were soon seen, and a shout went up.

“There are Jack, Andy, and Pepper now!”

“Did you get hurt on your balloon trip?”

“Where did you leave the balloon?”

“We were afraid you were all killed.”

Such were some of the remarks and questions uttered by those who had returned to the Hall after the departure of the balloon with the boys.

“We are safe and sound,” said Jack, speaking for himself and his chums.

“What have you got there?” asked Dale.

“Something for Mr. Strong,” whispered Pepper. “Where is he?”

“In the Hall. Captain Putnam is out hunting for you. He said if you were found, to fire the cannon.”

“All right, then fire it,” said Andy.

The three boys marched into the Hall with their precious burden. They were told that Mr. Strong had gone to his room, and so followed up the stairs and knocked on the door.

“What! back, safe and sound!” cried the teacher. “I am more than glad to hear it.”

“We are glad to be back,” answered Jack.

“But what made you run off?”

“We didn’t run off. We were carried off against our will.”

“Well! well! I suppose—— What is that thing?”

“This, Mr. Strong, is something we suspect belongs to you,” said Jack, proudly. “It is the missing pot of gold—only it isn’t full by any means.”

“The pot of gold? Surely I must be dreaming!” gasped the teacher. “Where did you get it?”

Their tale was speedily told in detail, and the gold was examined with much interest.

“It must be true,” said George Strong. “What an extraordinary ending to an extraordinary adventure!”

Just then the cannon on the campus boomed out—the signal that the boys had returned to Putnam Hall.

The shot soon brought Captain Putnam back to the school, and he listened to the cadets’ story with as close attention as had George Strong. He had already heard from Dale, Stuffer, Hogan, and Joe Nelson how the balloon had started away, and so could not blame the boys very much.

“It was imprudent for you to get into the basket,” said he. “But as nobody was hurt, we will let it pass. But the balloonist wants his balloon back.”

“He can have it, and welcome,” said Jack. “After this I’ll do my ballooning on the ground!”

“Ditto here,” said Pepper.

“I rather enjoyed it,” said Andy. “I’d go again—if I got the chance.”

“Not while you are a pupil under my care,” said Captain Putnam, decidedly.

On the following day the balloon was located by those who owned it and brought over to Cedarville, and on Monday the professor gave an exhibition to which Captain Putnam and his pupils contributed liberally. This satisfied Professor Aireo and he departed for parts unknown, and that ended the matter.

As soon as possible George Strong found out the value of the coins the iron pot had contained, and had the boys take him to the spot where the treasure had been located.

“The gold is worth exactly six thousand and two hundred dollars,” said the teacher. “I shall divide it up with my relatives. The question is, What part of the sum do you think you ought to have for finding it?”

“We’ll leave that to you?” said Andy, who was not overly rich.

“Would a hundred dollars each suit you?”

“That suits me,” said the acrobatic youth, and Jack and Pepper said they were also satisfied. Later on each got the amount mentioned.

“Have you located those crazy men yet?” asked Jack.

“In a way, yes. They took a boat to Ithaca, and then a train for the north. Perhaps they have left the neighborhood for good.” But in this statement George Strong was mistaken, as later events proved.

The balloon adventure made Andy, Jack, and Pepper the heroes of the Hall for the time being.

“We’ll never have another adventure as thrilling as that,” said Pepper, but he was mistaken; they did have an adventure equally thrilling, and what it was I shall relate in another volume of this series, to be called “The Putnam Hall Champions; or, Bound to Win Out.” In that volume we shall meet all our friends once more, and likewise some of their enemies, and learn the particulars of a victory which led to a most unlooked-for discovery.

Summer was now at hand, and one bright Saturday the boys had a regular field-day, with a big spread afterwards. Jack, Andy, Pepper, and the others did very well, winning several prizes. Harry Blossom made a neat speech, and then all sat down to a meal which made Stuffer Singleton’s eyes fairly glisten.

“This day is the limit!” cried Andy, while the eating was going on. “I was never so happy in my life before.”

“I don’t think any schoolboys could be happier than we are,” said Jack. “Especially with old Crabtree gone.”

“Drop Crabtree,” sang out Dale. “He will come back all too soon, don’t fear!”

“Here comes Captain Putnam!” announced Pepper. “Let us give him a cheer.”

All agreed, and the cheer went echoing across the lake and the hills far and wide, and with that cheer let us take our departure.

THE END

BY THE SAME AUTHOR

THE PUTNAM HALL RIVALS;
Or, Fun and Sport Afloat and Ashore.
THE PUTNAM HALL CADETS;
Or, Good Times in School and Out.
THE ROVER BOYS ON THE PLAINS;
Or, The Mystery of Red Rock Ranch.
THE ROVER BOYS ON THE RIVER;
Or, The Search for the Missing Houseboat.
THE ROVER BOYS IN CAMP;
Or, The Rivals of Pine Island.
THE ROVER BOYS ON LAND AND SEA;
Or, The Crusoes of Seven Islands.
THE ROVER BOYS IN THE MOUNTAINS;
Or, A Hunt for Fun and Fortune.
THE ROVER BOYS ON THE GREAT LAKES;
Or, The Secret of the Island Cave.
THE ROVER BOYS OUT WEST;
Or, The Search for a Lost Mine.
THE ROVER BOYS IN THE JUNGLE;
Or, Stirring Adventures in Africa.
THE ROVER BOYS ON THE OCEAN;
Or, A Chase for a Fortune.
THE ROVER BOYS AT SCHOOL;
Or, The Cadets of Putnam Hall.

_12mo, finely illustrated and bound in cloth._
_Price, per volume, 60 cents._

GROSSET & DUNLAP
PUBLISHERS NEW YORK

The Famous Rover Boys Series

By ARTHUR M. WINFIELD

No stories for boys’ Reading ever published have attuned the immense popularity of this new and extremely favorite series. They are full of fun, fancy, enterprise, and adventure, and each volume is hailed with delight by boys and girls everywhere. 12mo. Cloth. Handsomely printed and illustrated.

Price, 60 Cents per Volume. Postpaid.

THE ROVER BOYS ON THE FARM
Or, The Last Days at Putnam Hall

The latest and best of all the Rover Boy Books.
THE ROVER BOYS IN SOUTHERN WATERS
Or, The Deserted Steam Yacht

A trip to the coast of Florida.
THE ROVER BOYS ON THE PLAINS
Or, The Mystery of Red Rock Ranch

Relates adventures on the mighty Mississippi River.
THE ROVER BOYS ON THE RIVER
Or, The Search for the Missing Houseboat

The Ohio River is the theme of this spirited story.
THE ROVER BOYS IN CAMP
Or, The Rivals of Pine Island

At the annual school encampment.
THE ROVER BOYS ON LAND AND SEA
Or, The Crusoes of Seven Islands

Full of strange and surprising adventures.
THE ROVER BOYS IN THE MOUNTAINS
Or, A Hunt for Fame and Fortune

The boys in the Adirondacks at a Winter camp.
THE ROVER BOYS ON THE GREAT LAKES
Or, The Secret of the Island Cave

A story of a remarkable Summer outing; full of fun.
THE ROVER BOYS OUT WEST
Or, The Search for a Lost Mine

A graphic description of the mines of the great Rockies.
THE ROVER BOYS IN THE JUNGLE
Or, Stirring Adventures in Africa

The boys journey to the Dark Continent in search of their father.
THE ROVER BOYS ON THE OCEAN
Or, A Chase for a Fortune

From school to the Atlantic Ocean.
THE ROVER BOYS AT SCHOOL
Or, the Cadets of Putnam Hall

The doings of Dick, Tom, and Sam Rover.

Always Ask for the Grosset & Dunlap Editions
GROSSET & DUNLAP,—NEW YORK

The Putnam Hall Series

Companion Stories to the Famous Rover Boys Series

By ARTHUR M. WINFIELD

Open-air pastimes have always been popular with boys, and, should always be encouraged, as they provide healthy recreation both for the body and the mind. These books mingle adventure and fact, and will appeal to every healthy and manly boy.

12mo. Handsomely printed and illustrated. Bound in cloth, with stampings in Colors.

Price. 60 Cents per Volume. Postpaid.

THE PUTNAM HALL CHAMPIONS
Or, Bound to Win Out

In this new tale the Putnam Hall Cadets show what they can do in various keen rivalries on the athletic field and elsewhere. There is one victory which leads to a most unlooked-for discovery. The volume is full of fun and good fellowship, calculated to make the Putnam Hall Series more popular than ever.

THE PUTNAM HALL CADETS
Or, Good Times in School and Out

The cadets are lively, flesh-and blood fellows, bound to make friends from the start. There are some keen rivalries, in school and out, and something is told of a remarkable midnight feast and a hazing that had an unlooked-for ending.

THE PUTNAM HALL RIVALS
Or, Fun and Sport Afloat and Ashore

It is a lively, rattling, breezy story of school life In this country, written by one who knows all about its ways, its snowball fights, its baseball matches, its pleasures and its perplexities, its glorious excitements, its rivalries, and its chilling disappointments. It is a capitally written story which will interest boys vastly.

Other Volumes in Preparation.

GROSSET & DUNLAP,—NEW YORK

Transcriber’s Notes

--Copyright notice provided as in the original printed text—this e-text
is public domain in the country of publication.

--Silently corrected palpable typos; left non-standard spellings and
dialect unchanged.

--Moved promotional material to the end of the text.

--In the text versions, included italics inside _underscores_ (the HTML
version replicates the format of the original.)

End of Project Gutenberg's The Putnam Hall Rivals, by Arthur M. Winfield