o quartz in
the interior of the lump--and I think that there is not--at the present
price of gold it is worth, in round numbers, about two thousand five
hundred pounds sterling. A pretty good day's work, sirs."

"Say it again," cried Mike, all ready for another Irish break-down.

The clerk repeated the amount with much amiability. He had just learned
that Mike had an interest in the nugget, and his respect for the man
increased in proportion to his wealth.

"Two thousand five hundred pounds sterling," repeated Mike, in
amazement. "Who would have thought that there was so much money in the
world? I'll ate nothing but paraties, and drink nothing stronger than
buttermilk and whiskey hereafter. Two thousand pounds and five hundred
of 'em to make the figures look a little odd. Ough! murder, won't the
old woman and the childers be plased to see me riding home in an
illegant coach and four, dressed like a lord!"

The subject was one of so much importance that Mike, in defiance of the
dignified-looking clerk, indulged in a hornpipe, and was only brought to
his senses when told that he would be locked up by the policemen as a
lunatic, unless he was more quiet.

"I'll be like a lamb," he replied; and then, after a moment's quiet, he
leaned over and whispered to the clerk, in a confidential manner,--"If
the nugget is worth two thousand five hundred pounds sterling, pray,
what is me quarterings worth? Answer me that, if ye can."

We did not give the clerk time to make the calculation, but offered
Mike, on a venture, a sum equivalent to two thousand seven hundred
dollars for his quarterings, while we concluded to run the risk of the
interior of the nugget being filled with quartz. Mike accepted the
proposition without delay, and merely taking a certificate of deposit,
we returned to the store, counted out in sovereigns the amount that was
due Mike, made him put his cross, in the presence of Mr. Critchet, to a
paper certifying that he had been paid in full, and with the gold in his
pocket, off he started for his nearest countrymen, for the purpose of
treating every Irishman that he met, and getting rid of his sudden
wealth as soon as possible.

I urged him for half an hour to let the larger portion of his funds
remain in our hands, but he was obstinate, and feared trickery. I then
endeavored to persuade him to deposit all but a hundred sovereign in the
government office, but strange to say, he was more fearful of the
governme