As Dave spoke he pointed to a sharp edge of stone. Beneath it were bits of rope, showing how the fetters had been sawed in twain. "One of 'em must have got loose and then freed the other," remarked Roger. "But who was on guard?" demanded Tom Dillon, sharply. He looked at the boys and then at Abe Blower. "I was, but I--I guess I fell asleep," faltered Phil, sheepishly, and grew red in the face. "Fell asleep!" cried Abe Blower. "I guess you did!" And his tone of voice showed his disgust. "I--I am awfully sorry," continued the shipowner's son. "I--I really don't know how it happened. It wasn't the thing to do." "Never mind, it's done and that's the end of it," put in Roger, quickly, for he could see how badly his chum felt over the occurrence. "I guess you were pretty tired." "I was, Roger. Just the same, I had no business to fall asleep. I'm mad enough to kick myself full of holes," went on Phil, grimly. "Let us see if they took anything with 'em," came from Tom Dillon, as he turned to where their things and the animals were, but they had not been disturbed. "I guess they were too scared to touch anything," declared Dave. "They were glad enough to save themselves. I imagine they ran away as soon as they were free." And in this surmise our hero was correct. Link had been the one to sever his bonds and he had untied Job Haskers, and then both of them had lost not an instant in quitting the locality, being afraid that some of the others might awaken before they could make good their escape. "Well, I am just as well satisfied," whispered Roger to Dave and Phil. "I didn't want to hold them, anyway. All I want them to do is to leave us alone." "But you don't want them to discover the lost mine, Roger," returned our hero. "Oh, certainly not! We'll have to keep on the watch for them as well as look for the mine," answered the senator's son. A search was made, and it was soon ascertained that their enemies were nowhere in that vicinity. Then breakfast was had, and a little later the search for the lost Landslide Mine was continued. As before, the different members of the party separated, and thus the day went by. Several times one or another of the boys or the men thought he had found some landmark, but each time the clew proved a false one. "It looks as if we were going to be stumped,--just as those other searching parties were stumped," remarked Roger, dismally. "Maybe the lost mine will remain lost forever!" and he sighed deeply. "Oh, I wouldn't give up yet!" cried Dave, cheerfully. "We have still some more ground to cover." "Of course, we have," said Phil. "Oh, we are going to find that mine, no two ways about it!" "I hope so," and Roger sighed again. He felt that if the mine was not found, matters would look pretty blue at home for all concerned.