me into sending parties
out to search for it. Why, only six months ago a rascally prisoner
gulled one of my officers into letting him lead an expedition into the
bush--the fellow had filed down a brass bolt--" he looked up and caught
sight of the dark flush which had suddenly suffused his visitor's
face--"but I do not for a moment imagine you are playing upon my
credulity, Mr. Corwell."

He untied the string and opened the packet, and in an instant an
exclamation of astonishment and pleasure escaped as he saw that the
folds of paper held quite three ounces of bright and flaky water-worn
gold.

"This certainly _is_ gold, sir. May I ask where you obtained it?"

"I made the voyage to Sydney Cove to tell your Excellency of two
discoveries--one was of the fine harbour, the other was of this gold,
which my wife (who is a native of Ternate) and myself ourselves washed
out of the bed of a small stream; the natives helped us, but attached
not the slightest value to our discovery. In fact, sir, they assured us
as well as they could that much more was to be had in every river on the
island."

"Your wife was it, then, or yourself, who first recognised what it was?"

"She did, sir. She has seen much of it in the hands of the Bugis and
Arab traders in her native country."

The Governor moved his slender forefinger to and fro amid the shining,
heavy particles, then he pondered deeply for some minutes.

"Tell me frankly, Mr. Corwell--why did you make a long voyage to this
settlement to tell _me_ of your discovery?"

"In the hope, sir, that you would advise and perhaps assist me. My crew
are Malays and Chinese and would have murdered me if they knew what I
knew. Will your Excellency tell me the proper course to pursue so that I
may be protected in my discovery? I am a poor man, though my ship is my
own, but she is old and leaky and must undergo heavy repairs before she
leaves Sydney Cove again; my present crew I wish to replace by half a
dozen respectable Englishmen, and----"

The Governor shook his head. "I will do all I can to help you, but I
cannot provide you with men. The island which you have visited may
have been discovered and taken possession of by France, two of whose
exploring ships were in these seas a few years ago, and even if that is
not the case I could not take possession of them for His Majesty, as I
have no commissioned officer to spare to undertake such a duty. Yet, if
such an officer were available, Mr. C