was asked.

"If my advice was asked," the officer continued, in a patronizing
manner, "I should say, take that nugget to the government reception
office without delay, and after it is weighed, get a certificate of
deposit. That is my advice, but my opinion may not be worth much, one
way or the other."

We agreed that his advice was good, and that it would be wisdom on our
part to accept of it without delay, for it was rather dangerous having
so much gold in a store, when the town was swarming with thieves.

There was one person, however, who did not seem to like the proposition,
and that was Mike. He had a faint suspicion that the project was
intended to defraud him of his rightful claim to one quarter of the
nugget, and his face showed the feelings of his heart, while we were
talking of the matter.

"Is it moving ye intend to do?" he demanded, eyeing the gold as though
it had been guilty of a treacherous act.

"We are going to remove it to the government office for safety," I
replied.

"For safety?" repeated Mike. "Where could it be more safe than under me
eye, or under me head while I slept. Ough! don't bother, but let me
carry it to the store, where we can cut it up, and I can get me
quarter."

"You wouldn't spoil such a nugget as that by cutting it up, would you?"
cried the policeman; "it is the finest specimen of gold that I ever saw,
and should be preserved."

"Faith, if that is the case," muttered Mike, "it might just as well have
remained in the pit, for I don't see what good it will do us."

We succeeded in explaining to the capricious gentleman what we intended
to do, and pacified him by promising that he should have his share in
ready money before night, if he desired it; and I will do Mike the
justice of saying that he did, most emphatically, and other men would
have acted in the same way.

By the time that we had concluded to deposit our treasure at the
government office, considerable of a crowd had collected in the vicinity
of our claim, and was admiring the nugget, and wishing, with all their
hearts, that it belonged to them, and that they could be so fortunate.
We even began to receive proposals for our claim, and prices were
offered that we never dreamed of asking.

"Now is the time to sell," whispered our tempter, in the shape of the
policeman.

"Don't dispose of the mine for any consideration," cried Mike; "I'm
sartin that I know where another nugget is hid, and I'll have him out,
by