They had reached a point where the outcropping of rocks had split in twain, forming the ledge they were on and another ledge twenty or thirty feet away. Between the two ledges was a hollow with jagged rocks far below. The other ledge wound around another hill, leading to the northwest. "This certainly is a wild country," said Roger, as the boys seated themselves on the inner side of the ledge. "Hunting for gold and silver in a place like this is certainly not easy. Think of spending month after month among rocks like these, looking for 'pay dirt' or 'pay rock,' as they call it!" "And yet it just suited your uncle," returned Dave, "and it suits Abe Blower and Mr. Dillon." The boys relapsed into silence, glad of the rest. Dave was thinking of his father, and of the folks who had gone into Yellowstone Park, when suddenly he felt his sleeve pulled by Roger. "Look!" whispered the senator's son. "Don't make any noise, either of you!" He had pulled Phil's sleeve also, and now he motioned for his chums to crouch down behind the rocks on which they had been sitting, stones that lay loosely on the ledge, close to the towering cliff. As the three lads slipped down behind the loose stones on which they had been resting, all gazed in the direction Roger pointed out. On the other ledge several persons had appeared. "Link Merwell!" gasped Phil. "And see, that Sol Blugg is with him!" "And here comes Job Haskers and the man called Larry Jaley!" said Dave, in reply. "Wonder where that other fellow, Staver, is?" murmured Roger. "Maybe he was too badly hurt to come with them and had to go back," returned Dave. "Say, I don't see much use of coming along this trail," called out Link Merwell, to those with him. "It certainly is beastly walking here," said Job Haskers. "I've nearly sprained my ankle several times." "Well, if we want to find that lost mine we got to hunt fer it," growled Sol Blugg. "It ain't comin' to you, you know." "I agree thet this trail ain't none too safe," came from Larry Jaley. "If a feller slipped off he'd have some fall, so he would!" he added, looking down into the hollow with its jagged rocks. Roger nudged Dave in the side. "They are after the Landslide Mine, just as I supposed!" he murmured. "Well, they seem to be no nearer finding it than we are," was our hero's reply. "But they haven't any right to the mine!" burst out Phil. "It belongs to Roger's mother!" "Listen to what they have to say," warned the senator's son. The party on the opposite ledge were now so close, and the air was so clear, that all which was said could be heard distinctly. "I thought sure we'd be able to locate some landmarks before this," growled Link Merwell. "Are you sure this is the right district, Blugg?" "This is where the Landslide Mine was supposed to be located. You had the description of those landmarks, I didn't," added the Westerner. Just then Larry Jaley let out a quick cry.