in Australia.

"Do! why, go into the bush, of course!" promptly answered the other.

"And how shall we get there?" next inquired Teddy cheerfully, wishing to
start off that very moment for the golden land he had dreamt of.

"Why, by train," said Val.

"By train!" echoed Teddy in a voice of consternation, the idea was such
a terrible come down to what he had imagined.

"Yes, by train; come along with me," repeated little Maitland, catching
hold of his arm; and turning into Collins Street he soon made his way to
the railway depot and took a couple of tickets for Ballarat.

CHAPTER ELEVEN.

THE WRECK.

"I say," began Val presently when the train was in motion.

"Well?" said Teddy rather grumpily.

He could not stomach the fact that here they were journeying along by
the aid of an ordinary railway, just as they would have done in England.

When Val had suggested their going to the diggings he had imagined they
would tramp thither through the bush, with their blankets and swag on
their shoulders, as he had often read of men doing; and that they would
end by picking up a big nugget of gold that would make all their
fortunes!

The train disposed of all these dreams in a moment; for, how could they
pick up nuggets along a line of "permanent way," as Jupp would have
called it--a beaten track that thousands traversed every day by the aid
of the potent iron-horse and a bucket of hot water?

It was scandalous that Val hadn't told him of the railroad!

It dispelled all the romance of the expedition at once, he thought
grumblingly. Despite all Mr Capstan's bullying, he had not run away
from the ship for that; so he was not at all in a mood to have any
conversation with such an unprincipled fellow as Val, who ought to have
enlightened him before.

"Well?" he said again, seeing that young Maitland hesitated about
proceeding, his grumpy tone acting as a sort of damper to his
contemplated eloquence.

"I say, old fellow," then began Val again, making a fresh start and
blurting out his question, "have you got any money?"

Teddy was all sympathy now.

A comrade in distress should never appeal to him in vain!

So he commenced searching his pockets.

"I ought to have some," he said. "Father gave me a five-pound note
before I left home, and Uncle Jack when I was in London with him tipped
me a sovereign, and I haven't spent or changed either for that matter;
but, now I come to think of it, they're both in my chest