An hour later he entered the cabin, hot, red, and ready to burst with smothered excitement, and exclaimed in a stage whisper: "I knew it! We are rich! IT'S A BLIND LEAD!" I thought the very earth reeled under me.

Doubt--conviction--doubt again--exultation--hope, amazement, belief, unbelief--every emotion imaginable swept in wild procession through my heart and brain, and I could not speak a word.

After a moment or two of this mental fury, I shook myself to rights, and said: "Say it again!" "It's blind lead!" "Cal, let's--let's burn the house--or kill somebody! Let's get out where there's room to hurrah! But what is the use?
It is a hundred times too good to be true." "It's a blind lead, for a million!--hanging wall--foot wall--clay casings--everything complete!" He swung his hat and gave three cheers, and I cast doubt to the winds and chimed in with a will.

For I was worth a million dollars, and did not care "whether school kept or not!" But perhaps I ought to explain.

A "blind lead" is a lead or ledge that does not "crop out" above the surface.