next day approached, they saw before them
another low range of hills. These, when they approached them, proved to
be of iron-stone formation, a fact, which, as soon as he heard it,
caused Moreas to utter a cry of joy.

"We are nearly there!" he cried. "Those are the hills of which the
Indian told the old man. We have only to cross them, and we shall be at
the place where the diamonds are. Let us push on, push on. For heaven's
sake, man, stir yourself; there is not a moment to lose."

At last they reached the summit of the last hill, and looked down upon
the plains on the other side.

"It is the place! it is the place!" cried Moreas, almost beside himself
with excitement. "Yonder is the river he spoke of, and there, away to
the right, is its old course. You can even see the big black rocks that
he told me of, rising out of the sand. The Saints be praised, we are
here at last! We are here at last!"

So overcome was he by his excitement, that it was as much as Max could
do to prevent him from setting off at a run down the hillside. This was
the place, then, of which the poor, old, half-witted diamond hunter had
told Moreas. The place where diamonds were as large as hazel nuts, and
could be had for the picking up. He wondered how true the story would
prove to be. For his own part, he was not going to pin too much faith
upon it. If it turned out trumps, well and good; if not, he could
console himself with the reflection that the old fellow had played off
on Moreas a grimmer practical joke than had ever been perpetrated on
himself. The afternoon was well spent before they reached a spot which
they considered favourable for a camp. Max had already noticed with
satisfaction that there was a fair amount of game to be had for the
shooting, water was abundant, while for the animals there was a greater
supply of herbage than they had seen for many a long day. By this time
Moreas' head appeared to be quite turned. They had scarcely reached
their camp before he was off to try his luck among the sands of the old
river bed.

It was almost dark when he returned. When he did so, however, he shook
like a man with the palsy.

"Look what I have found!" he said, scarcely able to contain himself for
joy. "The old man did not deceive me after all. They are here. Here, I
tell you. I shall be the richest man on earth."

As he spoke he unclasped his fist, and showed Max _two fair-sized
diamonds_ lying in the hollow of his hand.

C