d carats, if it's one," he said, holding it up to
the light, and then passing it to his companion. "Look what a shine it
has, even in the rough. It must have been partially `cut' by the
splitting of the quartz, even as old Greenway conjectured. Directly I
saw this boulder, split in half like that, I knew that it was in the
cleft that we had to search. Yet the thing is a perfect marvel,
well-nigh outside all experience."

"I wonder what the _schelm_ Bushmen will think when they find that their
`devil's eye' has knocked off shining," said Sellon. "By Jove, we
should look precious fools if they were to drop down and quietly sneak
our rope!"

"We should," assented Renshaw, gravely. "We should be pinned in a trap
for all time."

"Pho! The very thought of it makes one's blood run cold. But, I say,
let's hunt for some more stones, and then clear out as soon as
possible."

A careful search having convinced Renshaw that such a freak of Nature
was not likely to repeat itself, and that neither the cleft nor the
sides of the great boulder offered any more of its marvellous treasures
to be had for the taking, they turned away to search the gravelly soil
of the crater, with what intensity of eagerness only those who have
experienced the truly gambling passion involved in treasure-seeking can
form an idea. No food had passed their lips since the previous evening,
yet not a moment could be spared from the fierce, feverish quest for
wealth. They ate their dry and scanty rations with one hand while
wielding pick and shovel with the other. Even the torments of thirst,
for the contents of their pocket flasks were as a mere drop to the ocean
in the torrid, focussed heat now pouring down into this iron-bound
hollow, they hardly felt. Each and every energy was merged in that
intense and craving treasure hunt.

"Well, this can't go on for ever," said Renshaw at last, pausing to wipe
his streaming brow. "What do you say to knocking off now, and leaving
this for another day? Remember, we are not out of the wood yet. There
is such a thing as leaving well alone. And we have done more than
well."

They had. It wanted about two hours to sunset. In the course of this
long day's work they had found upwards of sixty diamonds--besides the
superb Eye. All were good stones, some of them indeed really
magnificent. This long-sealed-up treasure-house of the earth, now that
its doors were opened, yielded its riches in no niggardly