r, I could have supposed that
your old ship had been relaunched and refitted, and had made a
successful voyage to China during your absence; but, as I left no
property of any kind in San Francisco, and had no speculations afloat, I
cannot conceive what it can be."

"Maybe," suggested Larry, "they've heard o' our remarkable talents up
here in the diggin's, and they've been successful in gittin' us
app'inted to respansible sitivations in the new government I've heared
they're sottin' up down there. I wouldn't object to be prime minister
meself av they'd only allow me enough clarks to do the work."

"And did you say you were all ready for a start to-morrow, captain?"
inquired Ned.

"Quite. We've disposed of the claims and tools for fifteen hundred
dollars, an' we sold Ah-wow along with the lot; that's to say, he
remains a fixture at the same wage; and the little we meant to take with
us is stowed away in our saddle-bags. Ye see, I couldn't foresee that
you'd plump down on us in this fashion, and I felt that the letter was
urgent, and ought to be acted on at once."

"You did quite right," returned Ned. "What a pity I missed seeing Bill
Jones at Sacramento; but the city has grown so much, and become so
populous, in a few months, that two friends might spend a week in it,
unknown to each other, without chancing to meet. And now as to the
gold. Have you been successful since I left?"

"Ay," broke in Larry, "that have we. It's a great country intirely for
men whose bones and muscles are made o' iron. We've dug forty thousand
dollars--eight thousand pounds--out o' that same hole in the tint; forby
sprainin' the ankles, and well-nigh breakin' the legs, o' eight or tin
miners. It's sorry I'll be to lave it. But, afther all, it's a sickly
place, so I'm contint to go."

"By the way, Larry, that reminds me I met a friend o' yours at the other
end of the settlement."

"I belave ye," answered Larry; "ivery man in the Creek's my fri'nd.
They'd die for me, they would, av I only axed them."

"Ay, but a particular friend, named Kate, who--"

"Och! ye don't mane it!" cried the Irishman, starting up with an anxious
look. "Sure they lived up in the dark glen there; and they wint off wan
fine day, an' I've niver been able to hear o' them since."

"They are not very far off," continued Ned, detailing his interview with
the brother and sister, and expressing a conviction that the former
could not now be in life.

"I'll g