been burning, but
which had died out, nothing being left but wood, smoke, and steam, while
two men were scraping away the snow from a heap while they waited till a
shaft about six feet deep beneath a roofed shed was cool enough to
descend.

"Morning, mate," was his salutation. "Nearly got our roof on fire.
Were you coming to help?"

"No, to ask for help," said Dallas, and he made his request.

One of the men went to the edge of the pit and descended a roughly made
ladder, prior to beginning to fill a bucket with the gravelly bottom
which had been thawed by the fire, ready for his companion to haul up
and empty on the heap ready for washing when the spring time came.

"Tell him," he said gruffly. "Well, mate," said the man at the top,
"it's like this. We've got about a couple of pound of strong shag and a
few ounces o' gold we can loan you. If that's any good, you're welcome;
but grub's awful short. Try further down, and if you can't get what you
want, come back."

"All right, and thank you, mates," said Dallas. "Morning."

"I say, we'll show you the flour-tub and the bare bone if you like."

"No, no," cried Dallas; "I believe you." And then to himself, "I must
fall back on Tregelly."

He had the burning wood fire for guide to where the big miner was
thawing the shaft in his claim, to make the frozen gravel workable, and
in addition there were faint signs coming of the short-lived day.
"Morning, Tregelly."

"What, you, Mr Adams! Glad to see you, my son. Come inside and have a
mouthful of something and a pipe."

"I don't want to hinder you," said Dallas to his cheery friend.

"You won't hinder me, my son. I like letting the fire have a good burn
out, and then for it to cool down before I begin. Come along; but how's
your cousin?"

"Better this morning, but very low-spirited last night, with his
frost-bitten foot."

"Poor lad! It is hard on him."

"The fact is, we are terribly short of provisions."

"You are? Same here, my son; but why didn't you come down and tell me?
I haven't got much, but you're welcome to what I can spare. There you
are; sit down by the fire and I'll see what we can do. Bacon's horribly
close, and I've only two of those mahogany salt solids they call
'Merican hams; but I can let you have a tin or two of meal and some
flour."

"If you can," cried Dallas, "it will be a blessing to us now, and as
soon as ever--"

"Yes, yes, all right, my son: I know. But how's the