soon with loads of skins
that they've shot and trapped in the winter."

Our conversation was interrupted by the coming of Mr Raydon.

"Ah, Mayne," he said; "that's better. You must keep that up every day
when it's fine. Fresh air and the scent of our pines form the finest
strengthening medicine a sick man can have."

He stopped chatting to me for some time, and at last I ventured upon the
topic which interested both Esau and myself.

"How long do I think it will be before the travellers get across to us?
Hah! that's a poser, my lad. So much depends upon my sister's health,
and her ability to travel. Of course they have been resting during the
worst time. However, I hope they will not be here till you are
thoroughly on your legs again."

CHAPTER THIRTY EIGHT.

"DO I LOOK FORTUNATE?"

As the time glided on I used to be quite in despair.

"I don't get any stronger, Esau," I used to say, pettishly.

"What? Why, look at you!" he'd cry. "On'y t'other day you was walking
with a stick and a crutch."

"I was not," I said, indignantly. "I never had a crutch."

"That you did, sir," he said, with a chuckle; "and now you've chucked
'em both away and goes alone."

"But my legs feel so weak, and ache so directly."

"Tchah! What o' that! Why, only t'other day they used to double up
like an old two-foot rule, or a knife with the spring broke. You're
coming all right enough. I say, I want to talk to you."

He gave a sharp look round as we stood beside the stream where it
entered the river--the stream up which we had found the gold, and to
whose bank we had come to catch trout with rods and lines of our own
manufacture, and grasshoppers for bait.

I had been fishing, but after taking three decent trout, I had lain down
wearied out, and now Esau squatted down by me, with his rod across his
knees.

"I say," he whispered, "what about that gold up yonder?"

"Well, what about it?"

"Don't you never think about it a deal?"

"Sometimes. Do you?"

"Always. I can't get away from it. Seems as if something's always
tempting me to go and get it."

"But you cannot," I said, sharply. "We gave our word to Mr Raydon."

"Yes, that's the worst of it. I can't think how a fellow can be so
stupid."

"Let it go, and don't think about it."

"That's what I want to do, but I can't help myself, and I'm always
wanting to get lots of it, and be rich."

"Rubbish!" I cried, testily.

"Gold ain't rubbish," said