ust to keep the wolf from the door, so, cursing
others when they had only themselves to blame, Handsome secured
employment, digging for another miner, while the sailor performed such
occasional odd jobs as he could pick up.

Broken in spirit, enraged at the long spell of ill luck, Handsome began
to drink heavily. Every cent he made went to the grog shop, and
Hickey, never over fond of work at any time, was only too glad of an
excuse to drink with him. The two cronies filled themselves with rum
until their reason tottered, and they became beasts, refusing to work,
growing ugly, even menacing, preferring to beg the food their empty
stomachs craved for rather than toil, as before. At last they made
themselves such a nuisance that the attention of the vigilance
committee was called to their particular case. In short order they
were hauled up and ordered to leave camp. There was no alternative but
to obey, and thus began the dreary trek homeward of the two broken and
miserable outcasts.

"We cawn't go on much longer like this," moaned Hickey.

He made a painful effort to get up, but his joints, stiff from the
all-night exposure, refused to obey his will, and he fell back with a
groan. Handsome, more successful, had already risen, and was scanning
the horizon on every side. Except for the kopjies, which in places
obstructed the view, there was a clear range for ten miles or more. If
anything alive moved within the field of vision, they could not help
seeing it, but nothing greeted their eyes. There was neither man or
beast to be seen; seemingly they were still many weary miles from the
nearest homestead.

"We must go on," replied Handsome determinedly. Impatiently he added:
"What do you want to do--stay here and let the jackals gnaw your bones?"

Hickey, too weak to argue, shook his head despondently.

"You go on, Handsome. Leave me here. I cawn't go any further, s' help
me Gawd! My feet hurt somethin' awful. I'm all in. If ye get 'ome
safe, go and see the old folks, will ye, and tell 'em I put up a good
fight?"

"Hell!" retorted the other savagely. "Don't squat there crying like a
baby. Be a man. Get up and let's hike it to the nearest homestead."
Shading his eyes as he gazed earnestly over the plain, he added: "I see
smoke in the distance. It can't be far off. Come----"

Suddenly, to his astonishment, Hickey leaped to his feet, with an
agility unheard of in one so nearly dying. Pointing to the