s regularly done up, and now I shall be able to take a fresh
start again."

"My partner, Abe, here, has just brought us down some tea and breakfast,
and some really strong soup for your mate." For Frank did not know
whether the young man would wish the fact of the relationship between
him and his companion generally known.

"Thank you, heartily," the young man said, as he seated himself by the
side of Frank, on the stump of a felled tree, and took the tea and food
from Abe's hands.

"I feel ready to go on again now; but last night I quite broke down. I
have no one to speak to, you see, and it was awful to see him lying
there, and to be able to do nothing. Your friend here," and he nodded to
Frank, "had been so kind to us a week ago, that I felt sure he would not
mind sitting up with him, though I know he thought me a fool to go on
digging at that wretched hole. I think he looks "--and he motioned to
the tent--"a little better this morning. Of course there's not much
change; but his face does not look quite as it did yesterday. I don't
know what the difference is, but I am sure there is a difference."

"His pulse is certainly a little stronger," Frank said, "and I hope we
shall pull him round, though I did not think so when I saw him
yesterday. I have been giving him broth every hour, and a few spoonfuls
of lemonade with brandy in it between times, and I think the brandy has
done him more good than the soup; if I were in your place, I would go on
doing just the same to-day. This soup Abe has brought down is very
strong, and two or three spoonfuls at a time will be all he will want;
there is another lemon in there, and I would go on giving him brandy
too; I think it's just strength he wants."

"Strength and hope," the young man said. "He has all along made up his
mind that claim would pay, and I think its failure did more to break him
down than even the fatigue and want of food; that was why I kept on
working as long as he was sensible. He still believed in it, and would
not hear of my stopping to nurse him. He was very bad that night I went
home with the nugget, almost as bad as he was last night; but when I
showed it him he seemed to revive, and it was only when three days
passed without my being able to show another spec of gold that he fell
back again."

"Oh! you did find a nugget, then?" Abe said. "No one thought you would
strike on anything thar."

"I found it because your friend put it there," the young man