Part 73 (1/2)

”How, sir? What shall I do?”

”Hold your tongue. Do not say a word of your discovery to a soul.

Above all, that friend of yours, Gunson, the prospector, must never know.”

”Not tell any one, sir? Not make use of our discovery?”

”No,” he said, firmly. ”Promise.”

”Oh, I say!” cried Esau.

”And you too, sir!” said Mr Raydon.

I stood looking at him for a few minutes, thinking as he fixed his eyes on mine, and then I pressed his hand firmly.

”Yes, sir; I promise.”

”On your word of honour as a gentleman's son?”

”On my word of honour as a gentleman's son, sir,” I said, proudly.

”That will do,” he said, releasing my hand, and smiling at me warmly.

”I like that, Mayne, better than any oaths. Now, Esau Dean, what have you to say?”

”Oh, I don't like it at all, sir,” said Esau, bluntly; ”but him and me's been mates all through, and I won't go back from anything he says. But it is disappointing, now ain't it?”

”It seems so to you, my lad,” said Mr Raydon, kindly; ”but give me your promise, and it may prove of more value to you than your share of the gold. You see I give up my claim, and mine would be a big one if I liked to exercise it, I dare say.”

”Am I to promise, Mr Gordon, sir?” said Esau.

”Yes, just as I have.”

”All right, I promise too.”

”I look to you both to keep your words.”

”I shan't tell n.o.body unless he does,” said Esau, gruffly, as he stood the rifle against a stone.

”And he will not,” said Mr Raydon. ”There, let's get back. I never leave the place as a rule when Indians are about.”

”Are they dangerous?” I asked.

”No; and yet not to be trusted. What savages really are, Gordon?

Thanks, my lad,” he said, as I dug up and placed a couple of fern-roots with their spreading fronds in the basket, so as to completely cover the fine gravel at the bottom, and the gold. ”We must wash it again when we get back,” he continued, ”and then divide it in two equal portions, for you lads to keep as a memento of to-day's work. Now, Dean, give me my rifle.”

Esau ran back to where he had stood the rifle, and was coming back, when he tripped and fell.

At the same moment it seemed to me that some one struck me a violent blow beneath my left shoulder which drove me partly round, and made me drop the basket just as there was a sharp report, followed by a peculiar ringing in my ears, and then all was blank.