o months to get to the Batavia. Come with
me to Somerset. I think we can get all the horses we want there, and
then we can go across country--only one hundred and fifty miles--to
the Gulf side; if not, I'll hire one of the pearling luggers to take us
round by Cape York."

So Douglas Fraser yielded, and when they reached the house, he sent word
to the claim and battery for all the men to come to him.

"Boys," he said, as the toil-stained, rough miners filed into the
sitting-room, "we'll have to clear out of the Gully now that the reef
has pinched out. Now, Mr Gerrard tells me that there is both good
reefing and alluvial country up about the Batavia River; all the creeks
carry gold; so I am going there with him, Will any of you come in with
me?"

Every one of them gave a ready assent.

"Why, boss," said Sam Young, "we coves ain't agoin' to leave you an'
Miss Kate as long as we can make tucker and wages--or half wages, as fur
as that goes. What say, lads?"

"Of course you can't leave us," said Kate with a laugh; "you all know
what it is to have a woman cook."

"An' a lady doctor for them as have jim-jams," said one of them, looking
at Cockney Smith, who shuffled his feet, and stared at something he
pretended to see outside.

The matter was soon concluded, and the few following days were spent
in crushing the last of the stone from the claim, and having a final
clean-up of the battery. And Douglas Fraser could not help a heavy sigh
escaping him, as he looked at the now silent machinery, and the
cold, fireless boiler, to be in a few years hidden from view by the
ever-encroaching forest of brigalow and gum trees.

Knowles, when he heard they were going, came to say good-bye. He looked
so dejected that Kate felt a real pity for him; especially now that she
knew the story of his life.

"I'll be as lonely as a bandicoot after you go," he said frankly, as
he twisted his carefully-waxed moustache; "and, by Jove, if I were not
bound to stay at Kaburie for Mrs Tallis, I would ask your father to
let me make one of his party. I don't know anything about mining, but I
could make myself useful with the horses--sort of a cow-boy, you know."

"I really do wish you could come with us, Mr Knowles. We shall miss you
very much. Father, when he looked at his chess-board yesterday, heaved
such a tremendous sigh, and I knew that he was thinking of you, and
wondering if he will ever find any such another player."

"Ah! I shall miss