in raising ore; and we must engage
more men. Well; you were going to say something."

"Yes, father," said Gwyn, rushing into his subject at once. "We have
just seen Dinass."

"Yes," said the Colonel, frowning; "he goes in about ten days, and we
want someone in his place. What about him?"

"He has been telling us about his trouble--that he is dismissed."

"He need not worry you about it, boy. He should have behaved better."

"Yes; rank cowardice," said Joe's father, shortly.

"No, Major; he has been explaining how it was to us, and he tells me it
was all accidental. He says we left him behind, and that he searched
for us for long enough afterwards, till he was quite lost. It is an
awkward place to miss your way in."

"Yes, you boys ought to know that," said the colonel. "Then this man
has been getting hold of you to petition to stay?"

"Yes, father; he asked us to speak for him."

"Well, and are you going to?" said the Major.

"Yes, sir; I should like you and my father to give him another trial."

"But you don't like the man, Gwyn," said the Colonel.

"No, father--not at all; but I don't like to be prejudiced."

"And you, Joe," said the Major, "don't you want to be prejudiced?"

"No, father; Ydoll here has put it so that I'm ready to back him up.
Dinass says he wants to get on, and doesn't like the idea of leaving a
good rich mine."

"Humph!" said the Colonel. "We don't want to dismiss men--we want to
engage them. What do you say, Jollivet; shall we give him another
trial?"

"I think so," said the Major. "He's a big, strong, well set up fellow.
Pity to drum a man out of the regiment who may be useful."

"Yes," said the Colonel, sharply. "Well, Gwyn, perhaps we have been too
hard on him. He is not popular with the other men, but he may turn out
all right, and we can't afford to dismiss a willing worker; so you may
tell him that, at the interposition of you two boys, we will cancel the
dismissal, and he can stay on."

"And tell him, boys," said the Major, "that he is to do your
recommendation credit."

"Yes, of course," came in duet, and the boys hurried out to look for
Dinass and tell him their news.

"Thank ye, my lads," he said, smiling grimly. "I'll stay, and won't
forget it."

That night Dinass wrote a letter to somebody he knew--an ill-spelt
letter in a clumsy, schoolboyish hand; but it contained the information
that the old mine was rich beyond belief, and that he was beginning