A stir of excitement fluttered in my chest. I had to admit I was not immune to Clint’s gold fever. The thought of finding the elusive vein of ore sought so long, by so many, was intoxicating.
Clint turned to Darren. “I’m definitely interested,” he said. “Can we take a little time to look around?”
“You’re paying for the time, so you get to choose how we spend it. I reckon we can spare an hour or two and still get to the campsite before dark.”
He c****d his head at Theta, and she nodded. “One of us had better go with you,” she said. “There are a few hazards to watch out for.”
Leaving Darren to clear up after lunch, Theta and Zane set out with Clint and me, the desert gravel crunching under out boots as we trudged along the trace of a path to the cliff dwellings.
“We warned you about s
