human
I doubt whether that bag of bones will carry me back, as it is,
gpt
Sellon, said Renshaw, earnestly, still gazing around and completely ignoring his companion's last remark--
human
Sellon, I can't make it out now any more than the first time I was here. We have followed out the clue most minutely: `Straight from the smaller turret-head, facing the setting sun. Within a day's ride.' Now, we have explored and surveyed every point westerly between north and south, and within a good deal more than a day's ride, thoroughly and exhaustively. There isn't the shadow of a trace of any such valley, or rather crater, as old Greenway describes. But let's go over the thing carefully again.
gpt
By Jove, Fanning, but you've given me an idea,
human
One moment, said Renshaw, holding up his hand.
gpt
I have an idea, too, and indeed it's astonishing it should never have struck me before. You must remember old Greenway was talking very disjointedly at the end of his yarn--poor old chap. He was nearly played out. Well, I tried to take down his words exactly as he uttered them. Look at this `Straight from--the smaller one--facing the setting sun. Within--day's ride.' Does nothing strike you now?
human
Can't say it does, growled Sellon,
gpt
Well, what strikes me is this. He may have meant to say `Within two days', or three days', or four days' ride.' See?
human
Yes. If that's so he might as well have told us there was plenty of gold to be found between this and Morocco. It would have helped us about as much. But now I'll give you my idea. It sounds `tall,' and I dare say you'll laugh.
gpt
Never mind. Drive on,
human
Well, you mentioned the word `crater' just now. If this `valley' of old Stick-in-the-mud's really exists, it is, as you say, a crater-shaped concern. Now we've fooled away days in hunting for this place at the bottom of each and every mountain around. What if, after all, we ought to be looking for it at the top?
gpt
By Jove! That is an idea!
human
Eh! Not a bad one, I think?
gpt
No. It just isn't.
human
How about that queer cock's-comb-looking peak we came round this morning?
gpt
Not that. There's no room for any such place on top of it.
human
Not, eh? Look here, Fanning. Have you ever been up it?
gpt
No. But I've been to the top of every blessed berg of any considerable height around. I never went up that because it commands no range of ground that the others don't.
human
Very well. My theory is that the best thing we can do is to make the ascent forthwith. Let me look at the yarn for a moment. Ah, here it is, he went on, pointing out a place on the soiled and weather-beaten document.
gpt
All right. `I saw we were skirting a deep valley--though it was more like a hole than a valley, for there was no way in or out,' quoted Sellon again.
human
Now, you would hardly find such a formation at the bottom of a mountain--though you very conceivably might at the top.
gpt
But I tell you there can't be room for such a thing at the top of that cock's-comb, objected Renshaw, dubiously.
human
I've been all round the mountain more than once, and it's narrow at the top.
gpt
Maybe. On the other hand, it may not be so narrow as you think. A mountain is the devil for changing its shape from whatever point you look at it--almost in whatever light or shade. Then, again, Greenway may have exaggerated the size of the hole. I tell you what it is, Fanning old chap. I believe I've solved the riddle that has been besting you all these years. As you said when we first talked the affair over, `two heads are better than one--even donkeys' heads,' There's a third head, and that's the head of the `right nail,' and I believe we've hit it. Saddle up.
human
Don't be too sanguine, Sellon. You'll be doubly sold if your idea ends in smoke.