d and gold, when Betty Bevan awoke,
sprang up, ran into the outer apartment of her tent, and gazed
admiringly at Tolly's face. A band of audacious and early flies were
tickling it, and causing the features to twitch, but they could not
waken the sleeper. Betty gazed only for a moment with an amused
expression, and then shook the boy somewhat vigorously.

"Come, Tolly, rise!"

"Oh! d-on't b-borrer."

"But I must bother. Wake up, I say. Fire!"

At the last word the boy sat up and gazed idiotically.

"Hallo! Betty--my dear Nugget--is that you? Why, where am I?"

"Your body is here," said Betty, laughing. "When your mind comes to the
same place I'll talk to you."

"I'm _all_ here now, Betty; so go ahead," said the boy, with a hearty
yawn as he arose and stretched himself. "Oh! I remember now all about
it. Where is your father?"

"I will tell you presently, but first let me know what you mean by
calling me Nugget."

"Why, don't you know? It's the name the men give you everywhere--one of
the names at least--the Beautiful Nugget."

"Indeed!" exclaimed the Nugget with a laugh and blush; "very impudent of
the men; and, pray, if this is one of the names, what may the others
be?"

"There's only one other that I know of--the Rose of Oregon. But come,
it's not fair of you to screw my secrets out o' me when I'm only half
awake; and you haven't yet told me where Paul Bevan is."

"I'll tell you that when I see you busy with this pork pie," returned
the Rose. "I made it myself, so you ought to find it good. Be quick,
for I have work for you to do, and there is no time to lose. Content
yourself with a cold breakfast for once."

"Humph! as if I hadn't contented myself with a cold breakfast at any
time. Well, it _is_ a good pie. Now--about Paul?"

"He has gone away with Mr Westly and Flinders to search for Mr
Brixton."

"What! without _me_?" exclaimed Tolly, overturning his chair as he
started up and pushed his plate from him.

"Yes, without you, Tolly; I advised him not to awake you."

"It's the unkindest thing you've ever done to me," returned the boy,
scarcely able to restrain his tears at the disappointment. "How can
they know where to search for him without me to guide them? Why didn't
you let them waken me!"

"You forget, Tolly, that my father knows every inch of these woods and
plains for at least fifty miles round the old house they have blown up;
and, as to waking you, it would have been