aken from the hole upwards of sixty thousand pounds.

It had been agreed before beginning that the two women and the boys were
each to have a half-share, and that the two women who had looked after
the families below were to have the same. There were then in all six
half-shares, and eleven shares, and each share was therefore worth over
four thousand pounds. There were many instances in California in which
parties of two or three men had made larger sums than this in the same
time, but there were few in which a company had taken out so large a
quantity from one hole.

At the meeting that night the partnership was dissolved, it being agreed
that they should all go down to Sacramento together, and there each
receive his share. One or two of the party said that they would go down
to San Francisco for a spree, and then return and try their luck again.
Four of the western farmers said that they should buy farms in the State
and settle down there. Abe, and two other hunters, said they should
return east.

"And what are you going to do, Frank?"

"I don't know," Frank said. "I don't want to return to Europe, and have
no particular object in view. I think that I shall let my money remain
in the bank for a bit, at any rate, and go in for freighting on a large
scale. I shall buy a couple of dozen mules, and hire some Mexicans to
drive them. I like the life among these mountains, and there is a good
thing to be made out of carrying. But I have had enough of digging; it's
tremendously hard work, and I couldn't expect to meet with such a slice
of luck as this again if I worked for fifty years."

"Well, Frank, I shall not try to dissuade you," Abe said. "If I was
going on hunting, I should say 'Come along with me to the plains'; but
me and my mate is going east, as each of us has got some one waiting for
us thar, and I expect we shall marry and settle down. I will write to
you at Sacramento when I get fixed, and I needn't tell you how glad the
sight of your face will make me if you are ever travelling my way."

A few days afterwards the party separated at Sacramento, Frank only
remaining two days in that town. The wild scenes of dissipation and
recklessness disgusted him; he looked with loathing upon the saloons
where gambling went on from morning till night, broken only by an
occasional fierce quarrel, followed in most cases by the sharp crack of
a revolver, or by desperate encounters with bowie knives. Bad as things
were, howe