he or combe of the cliff just beyond
them.

"Now, my fine fellow," said Mr Temple, as he picked up a piece of
wave-polished stone, "what's that?"

"Serpentine," said Will quietly.

"And this?" said Mr Temple.

"Granite, sir."

"Eight; and this?"

"Gneiss," replied Will.

"Quite correct. Now this," he continued, breaking a piece of stone in
two with his hammer.

"Cop--no, only mundic," cried Will, who had nearly been caught tripping.

"Right again. Now this?"

He picked up a reddish piece of stone which, when broken, showed bright
clear crystals, and close to the ruddy stone a number of little black
grains.

"Tin," cried Will eagerly; "and a rich piece."

"Let me look at the tin," cried Arthur eagerly; and the piece being
handed to him, "where?" he cried; "there's no tin here."

"Tin ore, my boy," said Mr Temple quietly. "Those black grains are
rich tin."

"Well, I shouldn't have thought that," said Arthur; "and I should have
thought that was gold or brass."

"Then you would have thought wrong," said Mr Temple sharply. "All is
not gold that glitters, my boy; and you can't find brass in the earth.
What can you find, my lad?" he continued, turning sharply to Will.

"Copper, sir, and tin and zinc."

"Then what is brass?" said Mr Temple.

"Copper and zinc mixed."

"Not copper and tin?"

"Copper and tin, sir, make fine bronze, same as the ancient people used
to hammer for swords and spears; but I can't understand, sir, why two
soft metals like copper and tin should make a hard one when they are
mixed."

"And I cannot explain it to you," said Mr Temple smiling.

"Are we going to stop here long?" said Arthur impatiently.

"Oh? don't go yet," cried Dick, laughing; "I want to hear Will say his
miner's catechism."

"Oh! very well," said Mr Temple, smiling. "What is mundic, then, my
lad?"

"A mussy me! as if every lad here didn't know what mundic was!" cried
Josh to himself; but he spoke loud enough for the others to hear.

"Well, what is mundic, then?" said Mr Temple quickly to Josh.

"What's mundic?" growled Josh, picking up a yellow metallic-looking
piece of rock; "why, that is, and that is, and that is. There's tons of
it everywhere."

"To be sure there is, my man; but what is it?" said Mr Temple.

"Well, ain't I showing of you!" growled Josh. "This here's mundic."

"The gentleman means what is it made of?" whispered Will, and then he
added two or three words.

"Why, how should