r, messmates, and what we might do over a shilling's a
diffrun thing to what a man feels boun' to do over a pound. Here we are
with the gold lying in shovelfuls among the sand o' this here river,
plenty for all on us to make our fortuns, and I says it would be a sin
and a shame to leave it behind to go shooting red and yaller and blue
cock robins and jenny wrens to get their skins. There, that's the
longest speech I ever made in my life, but it had to be done. So I says
I'm your side, messmate Jemmy, and my name's gold."

There was a low murmur here, and Jem spoke again:

"Anyone else got a word to say?"

"Yes, I have," said a fresh voice. "I'm with you, Jemmy, my lad, and
there's my hand on it; but there's some'at in the way."

"What's that?" growled Jem.

"What about the Yankee chap as found the gold, and Sir Humphrey and
Master Brace?"

"What about 'em?" said Jem, while Brace's ears tingled.

"On'y this, messmates. They've took the `Jason' and paid for her for as
long as they like. S'pose they say we shan't stop gold-digging and
tells us to go on?"

"We must tell 'em we won't leave the gold, and that they must stop and
dig and wash, and go shares with us."

"Tchah! they won't. Chaps like they, who can hire brigs and skippers
and crews, are chock full o' money. They'd on'y laugh at us, for they'd
rather have a noo kind o' butterfly than a handful o' gold," continued
the speaker. "Suppose they says we shall go on?"

"Then we tells 'em we won't, and there's an end on it."

"But the skipper won't pay us for breaking our bargain."

"Well, what's a few months' pay to men who've got their sea chesties
chock full o' gold?"

"That's true enough, messmate, but s'pose they turns nasty and picks up
their guns. They're wunners to shoot."

"They dursen't," said Jem scornfully. "It would be murder. Finding
gold like this upsets everything else. We don't mean them no harm: all
they've got to do is to jyne in and share, for not a yard further do we
go, messmates, till we've got to the bottom of that gold."

"Then they'll sail without us."

"No, they won't," said Jem meaningly; "for we shall want that there brig
to take us back with all our gold."

"Then there'll be a fight."

"Very well then, my lads, we must fight. Now then, it's come to this--
are we going to stand together like men?"

Brace held his breath as he waited for the answer, and the time seemed
long; but it was only a few moments bef