, if paid, would leave him in a bankrupt condition.

Rising from his half-finished meal, he put on his apron, went into the
workshop, and sat down at his bench.

The money which he had held for satisfying the immediate calls of his
creditors was squandered, and in the course of the morning he might
expect a visit from his landlord, demanding payment.

He might put the digger from his mind--a man drugged overnight would not
trouble him next day. The thought gave him relief, and he took up his
tool and began to engrave a monogram on a piece of silver. The outlines
of the letters were marked in pencil, and the point of his graver deftly
ploughed little furrows hither and thither, till the beauty of the
design displayed itself.

Jake had opened the shop and taken down the shutters. The goldsmith
had lighted his pipe, and the workshop had assumed its usual air of
industry, when a rapping was heard on the glass case which stood on the
counter of the shop.

Benjamin, glad to welcome so early a customer, rose with a beaming face,
and bustled out of the workshop.

Bill the Prospector stood before him.

"_Good_ morning!" Tresco's greeting was effusively delivered. "I hope I
see you well."

"A bit thick in the head, mate," said the digger, "but not much the
worse, 'cept I ain't got so much as a bean to get a breakfast with."

"Come in, come in," exclaimed Benjamin, as he ushered the digger into
the back room, where such chops as had escaped the voracious appetite of
Jake Ruggles remained upon the table.

"Sit down, my friend; eat, and be well filled," said the goldsmith.
"I'll brew another pot of tea, and soon our Richard will be himself
again."

The dissipated digger ate half a chop and a morsel of bread and, when
the tea was ready, he drank a cupful thirstily.

"Try another," suggested Tresco, holding the teapot in his hand. "You're
a marvel at making a recovery."

The digger complied readily.

"That's the style," said the goldsmith. "There's nothing like tea to
counteract the effects of a little spree."

"Spree!" The digger's face expressed indignation which he did not feel
equal to uttering. "The spree remained with the other parties, likewise
the dollars." He emptied his cup, and drew a long breath.

"I reckon we struck a bit of a snag," said Benjamin, "four of 'em in a
lump."

"They properly cleaned me out, anyway," said the digger. "I ain't got so
much as sixpence to jingle on a tombstone."

He fumbl