“I promise,” said Dick. “There’s no sense in our quarreling. We don’t know each other. What I want to find out is what all this is about.” Martin Mudd let go and leaned back against the rocks, indulging in a hearty laugh. “Of course we don’t know each other--that’s got nothing to do with it,” he said. “Now, look here, young Darrell, suppose I could put you in the way of picking up a big fortune--say a million and over. What about that?” “Honestly?” asked Dick. “Yes, honestly. Oh, I’m not joking. I’m in dead earnest. How much will you give?” “I’ll give you a hundred thousand dollars the day I come into the money,” replied Dick, but when he said it he had not the faintest notion that Martin Mudd’s singular words were anything more than a bluff. “Humph! Well, that’s business, but perhaps you’ll make it more.” “A hundred thousand dollars is a good lump of money,” said Dick. “You were going to explain about this. Do it, and----” “Not now. You are the highest bidder by a lot. Will you sign a paper to that effect?” “Certainly I will if you will let me read it before I sign.” “You shall draw it up yourself.” “That’s satisfactory. Now what?” “Where’s your camp? You were coming up here monster hunting. I know. Thought you would find that big prehistoric monster Ike Izard claimed to have seen. Ha! Ha! What fools your scientists are.” “Not quite so big fools as you may think,” replied Dick. “I’ve seen that same monster all right.” “Rats! Rubbish! Come on to the hut. We’ll talk this thing over. I--merciful mother of Moses! Look there!” Suddenly the water of Izard Lake, close to where they stood, began to boil in the same old fashion, and all at once a huge head, shaped like a crocodile’s, was thrust out. It was not the Plesiosaurus at all, but a monster of an entirely different sort. Its vast body was covered with great scales, its huge eyes seemed to reflect back the moonlight. It opened its cavernous mouth fully a yard long and uttered a hissing roar which seemed to shake the very earth as it made a rush shoreward, directly for the place where Dick and Martin Mudd stood. The effect was to break up Dick’s little session with that eccentric individual on the instant, for Mudd gave a wild yell of terror, took to his heels and ran toward the hut, leaving Dick to shift for himself. But Dick was not running away. He was altogether too much interested in this wonderful monster. Without an instant’s hesitation he scrambled up on the rocks behind him, stopping and looking back when he had gained a flat ledge about ten feet up from the ground. Undoubtedly he then witnessed a sight which no other man had ever seen before, unless it might be some Indian wandering through this part of the Bad Lands.