“Is that the spot?” asked Venus in a whisper.

“He’s warm,” said Silas in the same tone. “He’s precious warm. He’s close. I think he must be going to look for it. What’s that he’s got in his hand?”

“A shovel,” answered Venus. “And he knows how to use it, remember, fifty times as well as either of us.”

“If he looks for it and misses it, partner,” suggested Wegg, “what shall we do?”

“First of all, wait till he does,” said Venus.

Discreet advice too, for he darkened his lantern again, and the mound turned black. After a few seconds, he turned the light on once more, and was seen standing at the foot of the second mound, slowly raising the lantern little by little until he held it up at arm’s length, as if he were examining the condition of the whole surface.

“That can’t be the spot too?” said Venus.