out, and this
does seem such a damper. I wish we were back somewhere in the
pine-woods."

"Tchah! I don't want no pardons begged, my son. I know. When I saw
this lovely spot first I felt as if I could sit down and swear; but what
good would that ha' done? It'll be all right. Now it seems to me that
we shall be more comfort'ble if we go just over yonder away from the
hotels and places, make our bit o' fire, get a pannikin of tea, and then
two of us'll stop and look after the traps in case any one should come
and want to borrow things and we not know where they're gone. T'others
had better have a look round and drop in here and there at these places
where the men meet. It won't do to be proud out here. I want to see
some of the gold."

"Eh?" cried a big, hearty voice, and a man who was passing stopped short
and looked at them. "Want to see some of the gold? Well, there you
are!"

He unfastened a strap that went across his breast, and drew a heavy
leather satchel from where it hung like a cartouche-box on his back.

"Catch hold," he cried. "That's some of the stuff."

The three awake looked at the stranger sharply, and the Cornishman
opened the bag, to lay bare scales, grains, and water-worn and rubbed
scraps of rich yellow gold, at the sight of which the new-comers drew
their breath hard.

"Did you get this here?" cried Dallas.

"Not here, my lad, but at Upper Creek. That lot and two more like it.
You'd better go on there as soon as you can if you want to take up
claims; but I must tell you that all the best are gone already."

"Which is the way?" cried Abel.

"I'll show you when I go back to-morrow, if you like. Where shall you
be?"

"Camping just over there," said Dallas, pointing.

"All right. I'm going to sleep at the hotel to-night. Come on
by-and-by and see me, and we'll have a chat."

"I say, my son," said their big companion, putting his hand in the bag,
half filling it, and letting the gold run back again, before beginning
to fasten the flap.

"My son! Why, you're a Cornishman."

"That's so."

"Glad to see a West-countryman out here. I'm from Devonport. But come
on and have a chat by-and-by. What were you going to say, though?"

"Seeing what a set of rough pups there are about here, my son, I was
going to say, is it safe for a man to carry about a lot of gold like
that?"

The stranger took back his bag and slung it over his shoulder again, as
he looked from one to the o