d out
afterwards, of about twelve hundred and fifty pounds, so that after all
I took out of that hole four hundred and fifty pounds more than I put
into it. We got them all out and wrapped them up in a handkerchief, and
then, fearing to carry home so much treasure, especially as we knew that
Mr. Handspike Tom was on the prowl, made up our minds to pass the
night where we were--a necessity which, disagreeable as it was, was
wonderfully sweetened by the presence of that handkerchief full of
virgin gold--the interest of my lost half-sovereign.

"Slowly the night wore away, for with the fear of Handspike Tom before
my eyes I did not dare to go to sleep, and at last the dawn came. I got
up and watched its growth, till it opened like a flower upon the eastern
sky, and the sunbeams began to spring up in splendour from mountain-top
to mountain-top. I watched it, and as I did so it flashed upon me, with
a complete conviction which I had not felt before, that I had had enough
of gold-mining to last me the rest of my natural life, and I then and
there made up my mind to clear out of Pilgrims' Rest and go and shoot
buffalo towards Delagoa Bay. Then I turned, took the pick and shovel,
and although it was a Sunday morning, woke up Harry and set to work
to see if there were any more nuggets about. As I expected, there were
none. What we had got had lain together in a little pocket filled with
soil that felt quite different from the stiff stuff round and outside
the pocket. There was not another trace of gold. Of course it is
possible that there were more pocketfuls somewhere about, but all I have
to say is I made up my mind that, whoever found them, I should not; and,
as a matter of fact, I have since heard that this claim has been the
ruin of two or three people, as it very nearly was the ruin of me.

"'Harry,' I said presently, 'I am going away this week towards Delagoa
to shoot buffalo. Shall I take you with me, or send you down to Durban?'

"'Oh, take me with you, father!' begged Harry, 'I want to kill a
buffalo!'

"'And supposing that the buffalo kills you instead?' I asked.

"'Oh, never mind,' he said, gaily, 'there are lots more where I came
from.'

"I rebuked him for his flippancy, but in the end I consented to take
him."

CHAPTER II. WHAT WAS FOUND IN THE POOL

"Something over a fortnight had passed since the night when I lost
half-a-sovereign and found twelve hundred and fifty pounds in looking
for it, and inst