The horses seemed to know instinctively that there was some upheaval of nature taking place, for they quivered along their sensitive nerves and nosed the air questioningly. Several of the highbred animals pulled at their halters and, with drawn-back lips, snapped viciously at the air as if to warn away the destruction. "Oh, oh! Will it hit us?" wailed Barbara. "No, we are safe on this opposite up-trail now. But a few hours delay in getting away this morning and we would have been caught in the drift," said Sam Brewster, wiping beads of cold perspiration from his brow. "Daddy, you don't think that avalanche was on the side of our gold mine, do you?" asked Polly, plaintively. "Pretty close to Choko's Find, Polly dear," said her father. "Humph! Gol' all gone dis time!" added Mike, dramatically. "Oh no! don't say that, Mike!" wailed Polly. "Not _our gold mine_!" added Eleanor, with gasping breath. "Mebbe no! Mike t'ink yes." There fell a silence at that, and each one looked at the other, while the same thought passed through their minds: "If that slide buried Choko's Find again, where would they all have been had they remained in the cave?" CHAPTER IV JOHN AND HIS FRIEND ARRIVE Nothing could have been done to avert the catastrophe on Grizzly Slide, so the adventurers finished their breakfast in silence. Mrs. Brewster seemed the only one who appeared grateful for their safety. Doubtless, the others felt a certain _sense_ of thanks but they were so disturbed over the evident loss of the mine again, that it was paramount with them. Having packed the camp dishes, Mike started on the trail again, silently followed by the rest. Not until they reached Bear Forks where the roads separated, was anything more said about the mine. "Jeb can accompany the ladies to Pebbly Pit, while Ah ride on to Oak Creek to meet the train that will bring John and his friends. It doesn't look as if we-all can use their knowledge now, but we may as well talk things over seeing that like-as-how they will have had the long trip here," ventured Mr. Brewster, thoughtfully. "We-all ought to make up a crowd to go up and try to find Haywuth's body. Mebbe it will show when the snow's melted from the slope," added Bill. "Sam, why don't you-all plan while on your ride to Oak Creek, to take Top Notch Trail the same time John and Tom take the expert up? The larger the party the less danger of accident, you know," suggested Mrs. Brewster. "Are we going with them, mother?" Polly said, in a pleading tone. "No, indeed, child! Aren't you cured with what happened this time?" "'Lightning never strikes in the same place twice,' Mrs. Brewster," said Eleanor, hopefully. "And you know, Maw, such a terrible slide has not occurred here-abouts in twenty years," quickly added Polly, dropping back into her ranch vernacular in her anxiety. "It may be another twenty years before such another slide happens."