As they approached the spot they could see that there was a hole in the cliff about two feet in diameter but they could not tell how far back it extended even when they stood directly beneath it. “Give me a leg up and I’ll take a look,” Gordon suggested. A moment later he was on Bill’s shoulders peering into the hole while Bill and Rogers held their breath waiting for the word which would tell them of success or failure. But it seemed a long time before Gordon spoke. “Just as I thought,” he finally told them as he jumped to the sand. “You mean there’s nothing there?” Rogers asked and his voice trembled as he put the question. “Not a thing,” Gordon told him. “How deep is it?” Bill asked. “About two feet.” “But it doesn’t seem possible,” Rogers told them. “That rock was fixed in there by someone and why did he do it if it wasn’t to hide something?” “That’s a mighty hard question to answer,” Bill told him. “It doesn’t seem reasonable.” “Want to take a look?” Gordon asked Bill. “I’d like to if you think you can hold me.” “Sure I can. Hop to it.” A moment later he jumped off Gordon’s shoulders and confirmed his announcement. “It’s as bare as Old Mother Hubbard’s cupboard,” he declared. “Get on my shoulders and take a look,” he ordered Rogers. “Guess I’m too heavy,” Rogers objected. “Nonsense. Help him, Gordon.” It took some time and a couple of spills but finally he stood on the firm shoulders and saw for himself that the hole was indeed empty. “Well, it’s a great disappointment,” he said as he stood on the sand again. “I was dead certain that we’d find it there.” “We aren’t greatly disappointed,” Bill told him. “You see, we didn’t really expect to find it.” “You didn’t?” “Not really.” “Well, it’s some consolation to know that you’re not disappointed,” Rogers said slowly. “But all the same, I don’t understand it.” “Don’t understand what?” Bill asked him. “Two things. First I don’t understand why you didn’t expect to find the platinum in that hole and then I don’t understand why it isn’t there.” “Of course we can’t answer the last but, you see, it was so long ago and——” “But what if it was? Platinum doesn’t spoil.” “I know that, but it evidently disappears,” Bill smiled. “But it’s funny,” Rogers told them. “As I said before, someone went to a lot of trouble to make that hole and to fix that rock there, and why did he do it? If he put the platinum there and someone else found it and took it away, why did he go to all the trouble to put the rock back?” “We’ll probably never know the answer,” Gordon told him as he began picking up the tools they had brought with them. “Guess we might’s well be getting back.” “It isn’t time for dinner yet,” Bill reminded him. “Are we all agreed that it would be a waste of time to hunt any more?” Rogers asked. “What do you think?” “I think it would be. I’m sure that that is the place where the stuff was hidden.”