ong before now. I must clear myself if I can, but I promise
you that I will not bring public disgrace upon him if it can possibly be
avoided."

"He ought to be publicly disgraced," Captain Bayley roared, "the mean
scoundrel, with his quiet voice and his treacherous lies. Not disgrace
him? I would tie him up to a post in St. Paul's Churchyard, and hire a
bellman to stand on a chair beside him and tell the story of what he has
done every half-hour. Why, sir, he would have taken in St. Dunstan with
his pretended hesitation to say anything to your disadvantage, and the
affectation of pain with which he hinted that you had confessed your
guilt to him. The scoundrel, the rascal, the hypocrite! When I think
what his work has done, that you were disgraced at school, and sent
wandering for three years--not that that has done you any harm, rather
the contrary--to think that Alice has been wretched, and I have been on
thorns and out of temper with myself and every one else for the same
time, that for the last year we have been wandering about Europe like
three sentimental travellers, wasting our lives, spending our money, and
making fools of ourselves, I tell you, sir, if I was sitting as
president of a court-martial on him, I would give him five hundred
lashes, and then order him to be drummed out of the regiment."

Frank was about to speak, but Alice shook her head to him behind her
uncle's back; she knew that his bark was much worse than his bite, and
that, while contradiction would only render him obstinate, he would, if
left alone, cool down long before the time for action arrived, and could
then be coaxed into any course they might all agree upon.

The next morning the party started for San Francisco. Frank had already
found a purchaser for his team of mules at a good price, had wound up
all his affairs, and obtained an order from the bank on their agents in
England for the amount standing to his credit, which came to seven
thousand five hundred and sixty pounds.

His uncle was astounded when he heard how much Frank had earned in less
than two years' work. "I shall look at these red-shirted ruffians with
more respect in future, Frank; for, for aught I know, they may have tens
of thousands standing to their credit at the bank."

"My luck has been exceptional, sir," Frank said. "I might dig for
another fifty years without making so much. Of course, there are people
who have made a good deal more in the same time, but then