g and
washing. As they approached several of the claims which their owners
were busy working, a Yankee swaggered up to them with a cigar in his
mouth, an impudent expression on his face, and a pick-axe on his
shoulder.

"Guess you've just come to locate in them diggin's, strangers," he said,
addressing the party at large, but looking at Ned, whose superior height
and commanding cast of countenance proved him unmistakeably to be a
leader.

"We have," replied Ned, who disliked the look of the man.

"Thought so. I'm jest goin' to quit an' make tracks for the coast.
'Bliged to cut stick on business that won't wait, I calc'late. It's
plaguey unlucky, too, for my claim's turnin' out no end o' dollars, but
I must sell it slick off so I don't mind to let ye have it cheap."

"Is your claim better than the others in the neighbourhood?" inquired
Ned.

"Wall, I jest opine it is. Look here," cried the Yankee, jumping into
his claim, which was a pit of about eight feet square and three deep,
and delving the shovel into the earth, while Ned and his friends,
besides several of the other miners, drew near to witness the result.
Maxton and Tom Collins, however, winked knowingly at each other, and,
with the Scotchman, drew back to the rear of the group.

The first shovelful of earth thrown up was absolutely full of glittering
particles of gold, and the second was even more richly impregnated with
the precious metal.

Ned and the captain stood aghast with amazement, and Bill Jones opened
mouth and eyes to their utmost extent.

"Hooroo! och! goold galore! there it is at last!" shouted Larry O'Neil,
tossing up his arms with delight. "Do buy it, Mr Ned, darlint."

"I needn't turn up more, I guess," said the Yankee, carelessly throwing
down his shovel, and filling the earth into a tin bowl or pan; "I'll
jest wash it out an' shew ye what it's like."

So saying he dipped the pan into the stream gently, and proceeded to
wash out the gold. As this was done in the way usually practised by
diggers, we shall describe it.

Setting down the tin pan of earth and water, the Yankee dipped both
hands into it and stirred its contents about until it became liquid mud,
removing the stones in the operation. It was then moved round quickly
with a peculiar motion which caused some off the top to escape over the
edge of the pan with each revolution; more water was added from time to
time, and the process continued until all the earthy matter