he ground rose abruptly to a height of
thirty or forty feet; the ground around was covered with bushes, through
which a few good-sized trees rose. The two men had dug through two feet
of alluvial soil, and about five feet of sand. Altogether, it was a
place which seemed to afford no promise whatever; and although, at the
first impulse, some miners who were doing badly had marked out claims
next to those staked out by Frank and his party, no steps were taken to
occupy them.

The first day was spent in getting out planks and lining the proposed
shaft, which was made much smaller than the hole already dug, which
extended over the whole of the two claims. The next day a windlass was
put in position, and the work began in earnest. At the depth of twenty
feet they came upon gravel, a result which greatly raised their spirits,
as its character was precisely similar to that in the bed of the stream,
and showed that Frank's conjecture was a correct one, and that the river
had at one time flowed along the foot of the high ground beyond.

When it was known in camp that the party were getting up gravel, there
was a great deal of talk. Some of the older hands came and examined the
place, and, noticing the sharp curve in the opposite bank above,
concluded, as Frank had done, that instead of being, as was generally
supposed, beyond the edge of the old river-bed, it was by no means
improbable that the party were working over what was at one time a point
which was swept by the main body of water coming down.

More claims were staked out, and although no one had any intention of
beginning in earnest until they discovered what luck attended the party
who were sinking the shaft, just enough was done each day to retain
possession of the claims. Before they had gone far into the gravel they
discovered specks of gold, and, washing a basinful from time to time,
found that it was fairly rich, certainly as good as any that had been
found a few feet below the surface of the ground at any other spot in
the camp. They determined, however, not to wash at present, but to pile
the stuff near the mouth of the shaft, to be washed subsequently, and to
continue to sink steadily.

A fortnight after the work had begun, the old man had gained sufficient
strength to make his way across to the shaft, and after that he spent
his whole time watching the progress of the work. His tent was brought
over and pitched close at hand. By this time, as their prospects