carry in his life. "Let us see, let us see thy precious
gold-dust," he exclaimed. Ben, letting the sack drop on the ground,
produced a handful. The evening sun was shining brightly, and the dust
undoubtedly glittered.

"I have seen stuff like that before," observed Roger, who just then came
up, "and what do you think it was worth, lads?--not the pains of moving
from where it lay."

"They say it be gold," exclaimed Ben, looking somewhat aghast; "gold
glitters, and so does this."

"There the resemblance ends, my lad," observed Captain Layton. "If no
better gold is to be got out of the mine up there than thy sack
contains, the settlers have lost many a day's work, and the colony is so
much the poorer; though, from all accounts, it is not seldom they have
thrown away their time before."

"Then what can I do with this sackful of stuff?" exclaimed Ben, who,
having unbounded confidence in his captain, fully believed what he said.

"Sell it to the first fool who will buy it of thee for what he thinks it
is worth," answered the captain, laughing. "Make thy bargain when the
sun shines, though, or he may chance to set a low value on it."

Ben, it was supposed, followed his captain's advice, for the next day at
noon he appeared on board the _Rainbow_ without his sack, but chinking
some Spanish pesos in his pocket.

Captain Layton, as did the governor, the admiral, and Master Hunt, the
chaplain, warned those who returned of the utter worthlessness of the
stuff they had brought, but they were not believed; and the idea got
abroad that their object was to appropriate it, and thus to gain the
benefit of their labours. Most of them, therefore, as soon as they had
deposited their treasure in such places of security as they could find,
set off for a fresh supply; while the boldest speculator proposed to
charter two or three of the remaining ships, and send them home loaded
with the precious dust.

The first addressed himself to Captain Layton, offering him a cargo for
the _Rainbow_.

"There are two reasons against accepting your proposal, good sir,"
answered the captain; "the first is that I have other occupation for my
ship, and the second is that I have no wish to become the laughing-stock
of people at home, should I arrive with a shipload of dust not worth
carting on shore."

Thereat Master Jarvis turned away, highly indignant, remarking, "Fools
know not their own interest." The captain smiled, but replied not,
reco