Brooks looked Desmond straight in the face, and asked: "Boy, honest, did you really find gold?" "Yes, I did." The matter began to assume a very serious aspect, for Desmond spoke seriously. "If you found any gold, lad, you've beat me." "I did find gold." "On your honor?" "Yes." "Well, here we are on shares; tell us all about it." Desmond laughed in turn; they had had their laugh and he had his laugh, as he said: "Here is what I found." The lad produced the little nugget he had picked up and then Creedon laughed, and said: "By George! that is the bit of gold I lost, and I had a good hunt for it." Our hero had been impressed by Creedon's statement that he had examined every nook and corner in the mountain, and yet he did feel a sort of hankering notion that he could find the gold, and he said: "I want to explore again." "All right; it can do no harm, but I will relinquish all claim now to any gold that you may find in this cave." "I'll take you at your word," said Desmond. Of course the youth had no real hope of ever finding any gold, but it is a known fact that such finds have been made, and sometimes the skeletons of the owners have been found bleaching beside their gold. CHAPTER V. BOY'S DETERMINATION--GOING THROUGH A CREVICE--THE MOVABLE ROCK--AID TO DISCOVER--UP THROUGH A HOLE--THE GOLDEN HEAP--DESMOND'S GREAT TRIUMPH--THE OLD MEXICAN'S SECRET EXPOSED. Desmond was somewhat impressed by the words of Creedon, but still insisted that he would like to conduct an exploration. "You will only go over the ground that I have already gone over." "I know that, but I propose to look around all the same." Desmond had been doing considerable thinking. He questioned Creedon again and again, and made out that the old Mexican had lived in the cave along with Creedon for months at a time, and as he learned, the old man had thrown out a great many hints. These hints meant something; and then again, if he had hidden his wealth in the cave he had done it so securely and well that he had no idea of its ever being discovered until such time as he saw fit to disclose the fact. Desmond knew how there were some strange conformations in the rocks; the very place they were in was a testimony to the strange freaks that nature in its upheavals can and does create. Brooks had nothing to say about the matter, and Creedon did remark finally: "Of course, as I've said, it can do no harm, but be careful you don't strike--" Desmond here interrupted, and said: "I ain't afraid of ghosts; I've met one and I've got used to them." "I don't mean a ghost, I mean a crevice; go very slow and carefully, or you may become a ghost yourself."