He laughed as he saw Gerald driving off. "The boy is pretty well scared," he said to himself. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CHAPTER XXVI SAUL GRIDLEY SEEKS REVENGE THE tramp was only amused by Gerald's precipitate flight. There was no object in pursuing him, as he had obtained what he sought—the box of gold coins. He was in a hurry to open it, and realize his good fortune. He felt that Fortune had been kind to him. When once the gold was transferred to his pockets, he would leave the neighborhood, as he knew very well that by the miners' code the robbery would be punished with death. There was an obstacle, however, to his realizing the fruits of victory. The tin box was locked. "Why didn't the kid give me the key?" he complained, in a tone of annoyance. However, that was not a serious consideration. He could break open the box with a large stone, and he at once began to look for one. He had to go some distance before he found one that would answer his purpose. Meanwhile, as he carried the box, he heard from time to time the rattling of the coins as he interpreted the sound, though, as we know, the noise was made by the gravel stones with which Gerald had weighted the box. However, it was only prolonging his anticipation, and anticipation is always pleasant. He laughed to himself as he thought of Gerald arriving at the bank without the gold. Decidedly it was the richest joke of the season. At last he found a stone that suited his purpose, and began to hammer away at the lock of the box. There was only slight delay. The lid flew open, and with a smile of gleeful anticipation the thief looked into it. The bitterness of his disappointment can scarcely be imagined. The cup of success was dashed from his lips just as he was ready to taste its contents. The result of his enterprise was only a heap of gravel stones! "The boy has made an idiot of me!" he said, bitterly. "But where is the gold?" It did not take him long to guess the nature of the trick that Gerald had played upon him. He gnashed his teeth with rage when he thought of Gerald riding away with the gold in his pocket, or elsewhere secreted in the wagon. "I'd like to choke the kid!" he growled between his set teeth. He understood now why Gerald had driven away so rapidly. If there had been the slightest chance of overtaking him, he would have set out in pursuit. But by this time the boy was nearly a mile away, and it would have been foolish for him to entertain such a thought.