This being a good plan, both girls soon had their precious ore well-tied in their mountain boots, and were ready to proceed. As the two discoverers neared the cave where the others were, Polly shouted excitedly, and Eleanor joined in the clamor. Anne and Barbara had become so frightened at the prolonged absence of the two girls that Anne was about to crawl in to find them, while Barbara realized how much she really loved her younger sister. The moment they heard the awful sounds issuing from the tunnel, however, they were certain a wild beast had attacked them and the victims were fighting a way out. Anne grabbed the ax and held it aloft ready to strike, while Barbara stood wringing her hands in despair. By this time Polly stuck her head out of the opening, but neither Barbara nor Anne recognized the black face--her voice alone told them it was Polly. "Oh, my dear child! Are you badly hurt?" screamed Anne, dropping the ax and pulling Polly forth, Eleanor crawling directly after her. "Gold! Gold! GOLD! See--lots of it! Mountains of it!" yelled Eleanor, trying to drag her nuggets from the boot without untying the strings. "Oh, Anne, we found a gold mine! A great big cave full of gold!" cried Polly, managing to untie the strings. "Poor children! Are you daffy?" exclaimed Anne, not sure whether to cry or laugh. "You'll go daffy when, you see that cave--all shining gold!" laughed Eleanor, handing her nugget to the curious sister. "See here, Anne, isn't this gold?" asked Polly, working the large chunk of ore from her shoe. "It looks like it, Polly, but I'm no judge." "Oh, let's crawl in and see the cave!" now begged Barbara eagerly. "You know you'd get stuck in that narrow tunnel, Bob! Besides, I'm starved," said Eleanor. "Moreover, you wouldn't go when there seemed to be danger for the girls, and I'm sure I'm not going to try it now!" added Anne. "Dear me, won't any one go with me?" complained Barbara, who stooped to gaze in at the tunnel, and seemed too fascinated to leave the spot. "Bob, the gold has been there for centuries and it isn't likely to melt away while we eat supper!" declared practical Eleanor, following Anne to the opening of the cave. As they went to the place where Anne had spread the supper, Polly told them of the magnificent sight when they crept out of the dark hole and saw the glimmering of the gold. Over and over, the two girls had to tell minutest details of the cavern, Barbara sighing, frequently, to think she was not small enough to crawl in and see for herself. While the two adventurers washed their faces and hands with melted snow, Anne fried the fish over some red-hot embers scraped out of the fire. This done, they sat down to eat. As they ate, they talked continually of their mine not so far from the festive board. "Well, Polly, you surely were born with a silver spoon in your mouth!" sighed Anne, smilingly. "What makes you say that?"