ch interested in the drawing
of the water, and listened intently to the echoes of the splashing from
the impromptu buckets. "Why, Denham, that tank seems to be of great
size; quite a reservoir, and tremendously deep."

"It is, sir," said Denham dryly; "only it isn't a tank."

"What is it, then--a well?"

"No, sir: a gold-mine," said Denham in a low tone.

The Colonel looked at him sternly, and then smiled.

"Oh, I see. Metaphorical," he said. "Yes, to thirsty folk a perfect
gold-mine. Liquid gold--eh?"

"You don't understand me, sir," said Denham quietly. "I was not
speaking in a figurative way, but in plain, downright English. That
really is part of an ancient gold-mine, in which the water has collected
in course of time."

"Really? Are you sure?" said the Colonel.

"Yes, sir," replied Denham. Then in a few words he told the Colonel
that we had discovered two shafts within the walls, as well as the old
furnace-house and the ingot-moulds.

"You astound me," said the Colonel. "Here, come along and let me see."

He followed Denham, and I went too, as one of the discoverers. The
Colonel examined everything with the utmost interest.

"Not a doubt about it," he said at last. "You two lads have made a most
curious discovery. It may be valuable or worthless; but here it is. I
think that, besides being a splendidly strong place for a base, it is
otherwise worth holding."

"You feel sure it is an old gold-mine, then, sir?"

"Undoubtedly, and it must have been of great value. This explains why
it was made a favourite station by the ancient settlers who discovered
the riches on the spot. I've heard rumours of old workings about here
in the veldt; but I never thought much about them, or that they were of
any consequence. I shall begin to think now that we must fight harder
than ever to hold this part of the country. Which of you two made the
discovery?"

"Both of us," said Denham. "No; Moray first stumbled upon the hole
there."

"We were together," I said quietly; "and Sergeant Briggs helped."

"I didn't see much of his help," said Denham dryly. "We pushed, and he
did the grunting."

"You shall have the credit of the discovery, never fear," said the
Colonel, "and your share of the profit, if there is any; but we have
something else to think about now. Come up here; I want to see how our
enemies are going on."

He led the way back to the walls, and we followed him to the highest
part of ou