't become a
miser."

Watty made no reply, but in the night, when he thought his comrades were
asleep, he was overheard muttering in a low tone: "Yes, my dear old dad,
you shall have them every one, big 'un as well; at least I'll send you
every rap that they will fetch. Not that you need it. You're rich
enough as it is, but this will show you, perhaps, that my first thoughts
after my first luck were of you."

A long sigh followed the remark. Looking up soon afterwards, Jack saw
that Watty was sound asleep, with the point of his nose reposing on the
big nugget.

The poor lad's idea of a sprain was not quite correct. Instead of being
"all right" next day, he found himself to be hopelessly lame, and was
unable to move from the camp for a couple of weeks. During that period
Jack and Buckley went forth to the new diggings every morning, and
returned at night laden with gold, so that in a short time they had
gathered as much as they could conveniently carry. Then they resolved
to go for their comrades and return with them to continue their labours
at what they named Grizzly Bear Gulch. As Watty was still unable to
walk without great pain, they made a sort of litter of a blanket between
two poles. In this contrivance they carried him, with their gold and
their other belongings, back to the old diggings.

But here, on arrival, they found a wonderfully altered state of affairs.

"Immediately after you left," said Captain Samson, over a cup of tea,
while Polly, who presided, listened with sympathetic delight, "we bought
a new claim or two, without much hope, however, of bettering our
circumstances. One of these claims we bought for you, Jack, with part
of the money you left in our charge, one for Buckley, and another for
Wilkins. Well, these claims all turned out splendidly, and we've been
makin' our fortunes ever since! As you were off prospecting, as much
for our benefit as your own, we agreed that it was the least we could do
to work a little for you, so we gave your claims a rummage day about,
and thus we've made your fortunes too, or part of 'em anyhow. We've bin
sendin' home bills of exchange too, and knowin' your wish to help your
father, Jack, I took upon me to send a small sum to him with your love.
I did right didn't I?"

"Right!" exclaimed Jack, seizing the captain's hand and squeezing it;
"need you ask? I'm only sorry I didn't dig the gold out with my own
hand, and enclose the bill in my own letter.