The Washington times., 1905-04-09


than this Hugo responded.
Rawlin laughed lightly.
You have got the doldrums bad,
Dutchy," said he. Clean tuckered out
with Your walk. | reckon Take a
srooze. an when ye get rested up, come
over to my cabin an wen talk about
your find. Eff thar's anything in 1t
well all vamoose from the Gap an
help work 1T
! Hugo made no answer The men dis
persed presently and left us to our
selves.
'Rawlin guesses that you've made a
| discovery" said |, then. If you have.
Hugu, It would be better to let him
know all about it at once, for he has
! treated us decently; he's the most ex-
rerienced man among us, and he'll find
out all about it, anyway, by following
| U.s.
I've made no discovery, Otto" an
swered Hugo, with glance of seeming
alarm in the direction of RawIin's $
cabin. but l do think we've been here
long enough. Let's cut itt'
And go where?"
.Oh, anywhere! Strike into the inte-
Iicr; try to find the mother vein of
such gold as crops up here; get into
some of the inland valleys, If there are
any. and pan the streams there. It's a
waste of life to stay here"
so it nay be- / admitted. ''but l
| am not to be moved from here until
see that something definite is to be
gained by it. If you had made dis
covery l would go to it gladly, but 1
am done with haphazard wandering"
Hugo shrugged his shoulders and
locked at the ground.
You'll say so yourself / continued
''as soon as you have had a nights sleep.
Go in and lie down till l get supper"
He followed my suggestion without a
word. When i had made "damper," a
kind of coarse bread that cannot be had.
l think. outside the Australian bush,
and had spitted bid that 1 had shot III
the early morning, I went short dis
tance from camp to a hollow tree and
robbed the bees that lived there of
part of their honey.
l felt that this should be a festive oc-
casion. Not only was 1t fitting to ceIc-
brate my cousins safe return. but il
was advisable to do anything that might
tend to revive the poor fellows spirits.
Il
man look forward with courage as
good meal.
So l gladly INDUCED in the luxury of
roast bird and endured the biting of
the bees with composure | think |
could have endured the sting of bees,
also. in my anxiety to do well for Hugo.
but | had not to put myself to that Sc
we're test, for Australian bees do not
sting.
Hugo was sound asleep when at
length | called him to supper After
he had rubbed his eyes a long time. he
fell TO silently, but ne had not eaten
much before the effect 1 had hoped for
was produced.
Really" said hz, this is as good as
anything 1 had at the coast
The gloom seemed to have left his
voice. and presently he was Joking and
laughing quite in the old way. He did
not refer again to his desire to leave
the Gap, and l thought best not to in
troduce that subject before a night had
passed
/ did suggest. however, that ii might
be well to go over to Rawlin's cabin and
assure him that no discovery had been
made.
You see, Hugo" I said. "the Yankee
is a shrewd fellow, and what is more,
he thinks he is shrewder than he really
Is He'll jump to unpleasant conclusions
if you're not careful"
"Unpleasant?" echoed Hugo; for in
stancc?"
why, he'll think you have found
vein, or an alluvial deposit, and that
you are trying to keep the information !
from him"
In which 1 should be wholly within !
my rights II such were the case
True. but why provoke his sus-
piclons? 1t is much better to get on |
pleasantly with him as long as nothing |
Il to be gained by any other course. Go |
TO him now and he'll believe you. Wait !
and he'll guess that you're trying to |
hoodwink him"
Hugo thought it over a moment and !
declared that / was right So. after we |
Rad cleared up the supper things he |
went to Rawlin's cabin to have ii talk |
with him.