two equal portions, for
you lads to keep as a memento of to-day's work. Now, Dean, give me my
rifle."

Esau ran back to where he had stood the rifle, and was coming back, when
he tripped and fell.

At the same moment it seemed to me that some one struck me a violent
blow beneath my left shoulder which drove me partly round, and made me
drop the basket just as there was a sharp report, followed by a peculiar
ringing in my ears, and then all was blank.

CHAPTER THIRTY SIX.

MY DOCTOR AND NURSE.

When I opened my eyes again it was with a horrible sensation of sickness
at my heart, and my eyes swam, but I could dimly make out Mr Raydon's
face, as he leaned over me, and I heard him say, as if he was speaking a
very long way from me in a very small voice--

"That's right; go on. Keep bathing his face."

Then I heard Esau speak in a faint choking voice.

"Oh, sir! oh, sir! He won't die, will he? Tell me he won't die."

"I tell you to keep on bathing his face. There, take that basket and
throw the wretched gold back into the stream. The basket will hold a
little water at the bottom. No, no! squeeze what you have in your
handkerchief first over his face."

There was a cool refreshing sensation on my face directly after, and all
the time I could hear that Esau was in great trouble, for he kept on
softer with a curious moaning voice--

"Oh--oh--oh--oh!"

It seemed very strange, and sounded to me as if it was all occurring
some distance off, and I wanted to shout to him, and ask what was the
matter. But Mr Raydon was still leaning over me, pulling me about it
seemed, and a sharp pain suddenly shot through me, and made me wince.

"Don't--don't," I said, faintly; but he kept on burning me, so it seemed
to me, with a red-hot iron in the chest; and after doing this for some
time, while Esau kept on after a bit making his low moaning sound and
splashing water over my face, Mr Raydon turned me over, and began
burning me on the back.

I wanted to struggle, and tell him to leave off, but no words would
come; and he kept on hurting me dreadfully, and pushing me about, for
what seemed to be a terribly long time, before he turned me again upon
my back.

"Oh, do tell me, sir, please do tell me, whether he'll die," I heard
Esau say again, and I fancied that I caught sight of him through a thick
cloud.

"I cannot tell you, my lad," I heard Mr Raydon say. "Please God! no."

"But I shot him, sir; I shot him. It