Part 22 (2/2)

”Silence, sir! How dah you interfere!” cried the Major. ”Pendarve, if this boy speaks again, send him away.”

”Oh, he will not hurt,” said the Colonel. ”Now, what do you say?”

”Ahem!” coughed the Major, and then he took out an India bandanna silk handkerchief, and blew his nose with a blast like that of a trumpet heralding a charge. ”I say, gentlemen, that my old friend, Colonel Pendarve, and I, are very much obliged to you for your offer, which is one that we refuse without the smallest hesitation.”

”I will increase my offer, gentlemen; I did not know that Colonel Pendarve had a partner,” said Mr Dix.

”I will double mine, gentlemen,” cried Brownson.

”Gwyn,” said the Colonel. ”Never mind the licence; you had better jump on the table and play auctioneer.”

”By all means,” cried Dix, ”and knock it down to the highest bidder.”

”No!” roared the Major. ”Keep your place, boy. Out of the question.

The mine is not for sale. Colonel Pendarve and I are going to carry it on ourselves.”

”What!” cried the two lawyers in a breath.

”Jollivet and Pendarve of the Ydoll Mine,” cried the Colonel, excitedly.

”That's it, the other way on,” said the Major. ”Your own proposal; do you hold to it? I came to ask you if you would, before I knew these people were here. Now, then, what do you say?”

”Jollivet and Pendarve.”

”Pendarve and Jollivet, or I won't play,” cried the Major.

”As you wish,” said the Colonel, ”There's my hand and seal.”

”And mine,” cried the Major, seizing the hand extended to him.

”Don't, don't say that, gentlemen,” cried Dix, wildly, ”It may mean ruin to you both.”

”And destruction,” cried Brownson.

”Very well,” said the Major. ”We're old soldiers, we'll face all as we've often faced death. Pen, old man, for the sake of the boys.”

”For the sake of the boys,” cried the Colonel.

And the next minute the two mining companies' agents were bowed out, while Gwyn leaped on a chair to shout ”hurrah!” just as the French window was darkened, and a voice cried,--

”Is father here?”

Joe was not long before he heard the news.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN.

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