cking"--hard work--i.e., to work like bullook. In a
team.

After a very brief consultation together, Scott, speaking on behalf of
his mates, said they were all willing, and not only willing, but pleased
to "come in" with him, but they thought that he would only be acting
fairly to himself if he, as manager of the battery, amalgamator, and
general supervisor of the whole concern, took a salary of ten pounds a
week.

"No, boys. I'll take six pounds if you like. Of course, however, you
will not object to refunding me the money I am expending on the new
machinery. As for the profits, we shall divide equally.

"Well then," said Scott, banging his brawny fist on the table and
turning to his mates, "if you treats us in that generous way, we must do
the same with you as regards the stone we raise. Boys, I proposes that
as our new mate is finding the money to start the old battery again, and
going even shares with us in the gold from the tailings, that we go even
shares with him in whatever gold we get from the claims."

"Right," was the unanimous response. And then they all came up one by
one and shook hands with Grainger, whose face flushed with pleasure.
Then Jansan produced a bottle of rum and Grainger gave them a toast--

"Boys, here's good luck to us all, and here's to the day when we shall
hear the stampers banging away in the boxes and the 'Ever Victorious' be
as victorious as she was in the good old days of the field."

CHAPTER VI ~ "MAGNETIC VILLA"

"Magnetic Villa" was one of the "best" houses in the rising city of
Townsville. It stood on the red, rocky, and treeless side of Melton
Hill, overlooked the waters of Cleveland Bay, and faced the rather
picturesque-looking island from whence it derived its name.

About ten months after the resurrection of the "Ever Victorious" and the
concomitant reawakening to life of Chinkie's Flat, three ladies arrived
by steamer from Sydney to take possession of the villa--then untenanted.
In a few hours it was generally known that the newcomers were Mrs.
Trappeme, Miss Trappeme, and Miss Lilla Trappeme. There was also a
Master Trappeme, a lanky, ill-looking, spotted-faced youth of fourteen,
in exceedingly new and badly-fitting clothes much too large for him. By
his mother and sisters he was addressed as "Mordaunt," though until a
year or so previously his name had been Jimmy.

A few weeks after the ladies had installed themselves in the villa there
appeared a speci