ir own account;
but when the mines was a government consarn this was not allowed, and
the slaves were the most awful thieves livin', and often made off with
some o' the largest di'monds. Well, there was a man named Juiz de Paz,
who owned a small shop, and used to go down now and then to Rio de
Janeiro to buy goods. Wan evenin' he returned from wan o' his long
journeys, and, bein' rather tired, wint to bed. He was jist goin' off
into a comfortable doze when there came a terrible bumpin' at the door.

"`Hallo!' cried Juiz, growlin' angrily in the Portugee tongue; `what
d'ye want?'

"There was no answer but another bumpin' at the door. So up he jumps,
and, takin' down a big blunderbuss that hung over his bed, opened the
door, an' seized a Naygur be the hair o' the head!

"`Oh, massa! oh, massa! let him go! Got di'mond for to sell!'

"On hearin' this, Juiz let go, and found that the slave had come to
offer for sale a large di'mond, which weighed about two penny-weights
and a third.

"`What d'ye ask for it?' said Juiz, with sparklin' eyes.

"`Six hundred mil-reis,' answered the Naygur.

"This was about equal to 180 pounds sterling. Without more words about
it he paid down the money; and the slave went away. Juiz lost his sleep
that night. He went and tould the neighbours he had forgot a piece of
important business in Rio and must go back at wance. So back he went
and stayed some time in the city, tryin' to git his di'mond safely sold;
for it was sich a big wan that he feared the government fellows might
hear o't; in which case he would have got ten years transportation to
Angola on the coast of Africa. At last however, he got rid of it for
20,000 mil-reis, which is about 6000 pounds. It was all paid to him in
hard dollars; and he nearly went out o' his wits for joy. But he was
brought down a peg nixt day, when he found that the same di'mond was
sold for nearly twice as much as he had got for it. Howiver, he had
made a pretty considerable fortin; an' he's now the richest di'mond and
gould merchant in the district."

"A lucky fellow certainly," said Martin. "But I must say I have no
taste for such chance work; so I'm quite ready to start for the
sea-coast whenever it suits the Baron Fagoni's convenience."

While they were speaking they were attracted by voices outside the
cottage, which sounded as if in altercation. In another minute the door
burst open, and a man entered hurriedly, followed by the int