“I don’t know that, but I’m sure we overlooked a bet.” “Where?” “In that hole.” “Nonsense.” “’Tisn’t nonsense. Do you remember how the bottom of it looked?” “Why, no, not particularly. Seems to me it was kind of sandy looking.” “That’s just it, it was sandy. In fact it was covered with sand.” “Well, what of it?” “My, but you’re dumb. Why didn’t we look under that sand?” “Brush it away, you mean?” “Sure, why didn’t we brush it away?” “I’ll bite. Why didn’t we?” “I told you why I didn’t. Because I’m an idiot. You can draw your own conclusions in regard to yourself.” “Well, it isn’t too late.” “But don’t you think it’s a possibility?” “That the platinum is there?” “That’s what I meant.” “Of course it’s possible.” “And we’ll go and take another look?” “Of course.” Rogers occupied another room and so they had to wait till morning before telling him of their new idea, and after talking it over for a few minutes longer, they turned over for another nap. CHAPTER XV CONCLUSION “You mean you think there’s a chance that we overlooked it?” Rogers asked the question of the boys as they were sitting on the porch the following morning waiting to be called to breakfast. Gordon had told him what he had told Bill during the night and he was all excitement in an instant. “I think there is,” Gordon told him. “But rather a small one I’d say,” Bill added. “Of course, as Gordon says, there’s a chance that there’s another hole under that layer of sand, but my advice is that you don’t get your hopes up again. Of course we’ll stop there on the way back and see what there is to see, but you mustn’t be disappointed if nothing comes of it.” “But that sand didn’t get there by itself, that’s certain, and so it must have been put there for a purpose and what other purpose could there have been?” Rogers demanded. “That’s what we’re going to find out,” Gordon told him. The evening before, in answer to a rather broad hint given them by their host, they had told him their story and Mr. Mann had agreed with them that it was a pretty long chance. He had, however, sympathized with them over their failure, and they had agreed not to mention their new purpose. “We’ve got enough grub in the plane to last a couple of days, haven’t we,” Bill asked just as the breakfast bell sounded. “Sure we have if we don’t eat too much,” Gordon told him as he got up from his chair. “It wouldn’t make any of us one bit mad if you folks would make up your minds to stay with us a few days,” Mr. Mann told them as they took their seats at the table. “It’s mighty kind of you to ask us,” Bill replied, “but we’ve really got to go.” “Stay over one day and I’ll take you down to the south shore and show you some surf board riding that’ll make you sit up and take notice,” he coaxed. “Please do,” Laura added her invitation and Mrs. Mann was no less insistent. “Well, I don’t know,” Bill hesitated. “What do you say?” he asked turning to Rogers.