slink off to the barn and smoke, for I knew
father wouldn't let me if he knew it. It made me sick at first, but I
thought it was makin' a man of me, and I kept on. Well, the habit's on
me now, and it's hard to break. It don't hurt a man as much as a boy,
but it don't do him any good, either. Jack, did you ever smoke?"

"No, Obed; but one of the sailors gave me a piece of tobacco to chew
once. I didn't like it and spit it out."

"The best thing you could do. I wish all boys were as sensible."

In their hours of rest the three often chatted of home. Their
conversation was generally of one tenor. They liked to fancy themselves
returning with plenty of money, and planned how they would act under
such pleasant circumstances. Instead of the barren hills among which
they were encamped, familiar scenes and faces rose before them, and the
picture was so attractive that it was hard to come back to the cheerless
reality.

"Well, boys," said Obed, at the end of an hour, "we may as well go to
work again. The gold's waitin' for us."

It was an old joke, and scarcely elicited a smile now. In fact, the boys
felt that they had waited a long time for the gold. It was not,
therefore, with a very hopeful feeling that they obeyed the summons and
returned to the claim. Though of a sanguine disposition, they began to
doubt seriously whether their efforts would ever be rewarded. They had
pretty much lost the stimulus of hope.

About four o'clock, when Jack was at work with the pick, something
curious happened. Instead of sinking into the earth it glanced off, as
from something hard.

"What is it, Jack?" asked Obed quickly.

"I must have struck a rock, Obed."

"Here, give me the pick," said Obed eagerly.

He struck, and lo! a yellow streak became plainly visible.

"Boys," said he in an agitated voice, "I believe our luck has come."

"What do you mean, Obed?"

"I believe we've found a nugget;" and to the boys' intense surprise he
immediately began to cover it up with dirt.

"What's that for?" asked Harry.

"Hush! we mustn't take it out now. Somebody might be looking. We'll wait
till it's darker."

Just then the tramp before mentioned strolled up.

"What luck, friends?" he asked.

"Same as usual," answered Obed, shrugging his shoulders. "Don't you want
to buy the claim?"

"Not I," and the tramp, quite deceived by his manner, kept on his
round.

CHAPTER XXIII.

RAISING THE NUGGET.

"It's lucky we covered up the