n evident that there was at least
sufficient gold to pay for washing out, and that my advances were
perfectly safe; so there is no hurry on that account. But at present it
has so improved that it would be rich enough to pay really well;
besides, we shall be getting it stolen. I fancy last night two or three
buckets-full were taken away at that edge of the bank; and as there has
been a perfect rush for staking out claims to-day, I have no doubt that
it was found to pan out very rich."

The result of the first day's washing more than realised their
anticipations, for when the cradle was cleared up over fifty ounces of
gold were found at the bottom; and at the end of three days the old man
paid Frank and his party their wages at four dollars a day each from the
time they had commenced working at the shaft.

Another fortnight and they reached the bed rock. Each day the find had
become heavier, but the climax was reached when they touched the rock.
It was found that just where they reached the bottom, the rock which
formed the bank bordering the flat came down almost perpendicularly to
the level rock which had formed the old bed of the stream. This was worn
perfectly smooth by the action of the water, and in the bed rock was a
great caldron scooped out by an eddy of the stream. This was filled up
with gravel, among which nuggets of gold were lying thickly; and when
its contents were taken to the surface and separated, the gold was found
to weigh over three thousand ounces. The lower part of the ground was
then dug out to the full size of the claim, and when all this was washed
it was found that the total amount of gold obtained from the claim was
over six thousand ounces.

As the work went on from day to day, Frank observed a gradual change
coming over the elder of the two men. At first he had been excited, and
at times irritable; but as each day showed increased returns, and it
became a moral certainty that the claim was going to turn out extremely
rich, the excitement seemed to pass away. He talked less, and spent less
of his time in watching the work going on, sometimes not even coming
down to watch the clear-up at the end of the day's work. Even the
discovery of the rich pocket in the rock scarcely seemed to stir him.
His son, upon the contrary, made no secret of his satisfaction at the
fortune which was falling to them. He shook off the reserve which had at
first distinguished him; a weight of care seemed to fall from