ll him; but he knows already; we had a taste
of 'em yesterday. Anything else?"

"No," said Gunson; "only that perhaps I may want to send to him for
help."

"Best way's to help yourselves," said Grey, at last rising from a hearty
breakfast. "Good-bye, my lads," he said, "till we run agen each other
later on. I say," he continued, after shouldering his rifle, "did you
two lads bring away guns?"

"No," I said; "of course not."

"Haven't got any then. How many have you?" he continued, turning to
Gunson.

"Only my own and a revolver."

"Lend you mine, young Mr Gordon," he said, handing it to me, and then
unstrapping his ammunition-belt, and with it his revolver in its
holster. "Better buy yourself one first chance, and then you can send
mine back. Take care of the tackle; it's all good."

"Thank you, Grey," said Gunson, grasping his hand. "You couldn't have
made him a better loan. I won't forget it."

"Course you won't. Nor him neither, I know."

"Ain't got another, have you?" said Esau.

Grey shook his head.

"Good-bye," he said.

"I say, tell mother not to fret, I'm all right," cried Esau.

"And give old Rough a pat on the head for me," I cried.

"I will. Nice game you had with him last night," said Grey, laughing.
"Too good friends with you to lay hold."

"Oh, was I, sir?" cried Esau; "he's made one of my trousers
knee-breeches. Look!"

He held up his leg, where the piece had been torn off below the knee,
and Grey laughed as he went and disappeared in the forest that fringed
the banks of the stream.

"Then now we can begin gold-digging in real earnest," cried Esau,
excitedly. "I say, Mr Gunson, how's it going to be?"

"What, my lad?"

"Each keep all he finds?"

"We'll see about that later on," said Gunson, sternly. "There will be
no gold-washing yet."

Esau stared.

"There are too many enemies afoot. I am going to wait and see if those
men come up this way. If they do, there will be enough work to maintain
our claim, for, setting aside any ill-feeling against me, they may want
to turn us off."

"Well, they are ugly customers," said Esau, rubbing one ear. "I say, do
you think they'll come to fight?"

"If they think that this is a rich claim, nothing is more likely."

"And I say," cried Esau, "I didn't mean that."

"If you feel afraid you had better go. I dare say you can overtake that
man."

"But I don't want to go."

"Then stay."

"But I don't want to fight."

"