led up and sat down beside them.

"You are leaving off work early," he said.

"Yes," answered Obed with a yawn, "we might as well take it easy. It's
hard work--this mining."

"What luck?"

"Our luck is to come," said our Yankee friend. "How is it with you?"

"I have got out seventy-five dollars this week," answered the other
complacently.

"Whew! that's good! What do you say to swapping claims?"

"Oh, no," answered the neighbor, wagging his head jocosely. "I'm not so
green. The fact is, Mr. Stackpole, I don't want to discourage you, but I
don't believe you'll ever see the money you put into this hole. Come
now, what did you pay?"

"Five and twenty pounds."

"If you can get five pounds for it, my advice is, sell."

"I don't know but you're right," said Stackpole in a rueful tone. "Will
you give me five pounds for it?"

"Ho, ho! I might give you five shillings, though it would be a risk."

"Then I don't think we'll sell, eh, Harry?"

"We had better give it away than take that sum," said Harry, carefully
veiling his inward exultation.

They went to their cabin at the usual time and indulged themselves in a
better supper than usual, feeling that they could afford to do so. It is
wonderful how success stimulates the appetite.

"I don't know when I have been so hungry, Obed," said Harry.

"I feel the same way," chimed in Jack.

"A light heart increases the appetite, boys, but sometimes I've felt
wolfish when my heart was heavy. Fifteen months ago I was in Californy,
and down on my luck. Things had been goin' contrary, and I hadn't money
enough to buy a square meal. I didn't like to tell my friends, bein' a
bit proud. One day when I was feelin' so hungry that I wouldn't have
turned up my nose at a Chinaman's diet--rat pie--an old acquaintance met
me and asked me to dine with him. Did I accept? Well, I should smile. I
did smile all over my face, as I sat down to the table. You'd better
calculate that I made my knife and fork fly. Finally my friend remarked,
looking kind of queer, 'You've got a healthy appetite, Stackpole.' I
answered, 'It sort of runs in our family to eat whenever we get a
chance.' 'Good joke!' said he, laughing. But it was no joke when he came
to pay the bill, I tell you."

"I'll remember that, Obed," said Harry, smiling, "and when I invite you
to dinner, I'll first inquire whether you've had anything to eat for a
week back."

"I generally eat for a weak stomach," returned Obed, venturi