The following morning found the three youths in a summer-house attached to the Wadsworth estate. This was located down near a tiny brook and was overgrown with vines and bushes. It was a cozy retreat, especially on such a hot day in July, and the boys proceeded to make themselves at home by throwing off their coats and caps. "Now let us get down to business on this thing," said Dave; whereupon the senator's son brought forth his papers, and the map of the mining district wherein the Landslide Mine was supposed to be located. "That lost mine is supposed to be somewhere along this old trail," said Roger, pointing with his finger. "This trail is known as the Rodman Trail, because a fellow named Billy Rodman discovered it. As near as I can make out, the papers say the mine was on this Rodman Trail, half a mile north of Stony Cut and to the west of the Four Rocks." "Huh! That ought to be dead easy to locate," was Phil's comment. "All we have to do is to walk along the trail half a mile beyond Stony Cut and then to the west of the Four Rocks,--and there you are." "Exactly, except for two things," replied Roger. "The landslide wiped out Stony Cut and the Four Rocks, too." "Oh!" "But some one must have some idea where Stony Cut was located," said Dave. "My idea is to hunt up that old miner, Abe Blower, and see if he can't locate Stony Cut for us, even approximately, and tell us something about Four Rocks--how it used to look before the great landslide. Then, after we've got that information, we'll start on the hunt." "Do you think we'll find Abe Blower in Butte, Montana?" asked Phil. "More than likely. He was there some time ago, mother heard. He and Uncle Maurice used to be great chums." "And are you sure the mine is valuable?" queried Phil, after a pause. "It must be, otherwise my uncle wouldn't have been so anxious about it." Again the boys went over the papers and also the map, talking the proposed trip over from various points of view. They all agreed that locating the lost mine would be no easy task. "Supposing somebody else locates it?" said Phil, presently. "Couldn't he lay claim to it?" "I don't know about that--I suppose so, since the mine is now completely lost." "I hope you can find this Abe Blower and get him to go with us," said Dave. "An old prospector like that ought to know that territory well." "Blower does know it--so they say." "Did you ever meet him?" questioned Phil. "No, I never even heard of him until Uncle Maurice died and left his property to mother." "Then you don't know what kind of a man he is?" "Oh, he must be pretty nice, or my uncle wouldn't have had him for a friend. I've no doubt that he is rough--many of that sort are--but I feel certain----" Roger stopped short, as a strange crashing in some bushes back of the summer-house reached his ears and the ears of the others. "What's that?" cried Dave. "Some animal?"