kee blead cakee."

"I say, Quong," whispered Esau, "did you two find much gold?"

Quong gave him a quaint laughing look. "You waitee littee bit. Allee
same ask Mas Gunson. You sabbee?"

"But he can't tell us. I say, do you know where he hid what you got?"

"No; no sabbee. Mas Gunson know allee same. You wait."

Just then I heard a cough in the enclosure, and drew back a little
uneasily as the door opened, and Mr Raydon entered.

"Good morning, my lads," he said, gravely and coldly. "Ah, Quong, you
here? Well, nurse, how is your patient?"

"He seems very nicely, sir, and I don't think there is much fever."

"Does he seem in great pain?"

"Only at times, sir, and then I bathe his temples."

Quong looked sharply from one to the other, and began to fumble about
under his blue cotton blouse till he produced from some hidden pocket a
tiny thin bottle, less than my little finger, and gave it to Mr Raydon.

"Velly good," he said, eagerly. "You sabbee? Touch velly little dlop
allee long Cap Gunson head. No makee hurt then."

"Ah, yes," said Mr Raydon, taking the bottle. "I have seen this
before;" and as Gunson just then uttered an uneasy moan, the cork was
taken out, and a very tiny drop spread with a finger lightly about his
temples.

"Makee seep," said Quong, smiling. "Velly good."

The essence certainly produced the required effect, and Quong showed his
yellow teeth.

"Not muchee," he said. "Velly lit dlop. Velly ofen? No, no."

"I understand," said Mr Raydon, handing back the bottle.

"No," said Quong. "No. Keep all along. You sabbee?"

"Very well, I'll keep it," said Mr Raydon; and just then there was a
tap at the door.

"Come in."

Grey entered.

"Want me?"

"Bad news, sir," said Grey, in a sharp whisper. "That man from the
little valley--Barker he says his name is--"

"Which was Barker?"

"That sensible man you shook hands with."

"What does he want?"

"Wants to see you, sir. They started that gang down the river with half
a dozen armed miners, and they rose against them in the night."

"Yes," said Mr Raydon, excitedly. "Well?"

"They killed two, wounded all the rest, and they are all free again."

"And their own wounded men?"

"Took them into the woods with them."

"This is bad news indeed," said Mr Raydon, beginning to pace the room.

"He wants to know what's to be done," said Grey.

"I must think--I must think," said Mr Raydon, hastily. "Two men away
gua