Samba

in Co

chief had gone. "I only hope our new brother won't carry his affection too fa

re mostly old-fashioned rubbish, but there's one t

ill take us to find this ore. The sooner the better, a

ite men to the gold region next day. But he stipulated that only his new brothers should accompan

that he washed his hands of the business. "Nando no go, m

st from the village; then, when well out of sight, he made a detour, and passing through a couple of miles of dense forest, entered a broken hilly country, which to Mr. Martindale's experienced eye showed many traces of volcanic disturbance. At last, forcing their way through a bel

inting up and down the stream, said something in his own

ere. Why on earth could not he let

your wat

the rocky side of the gully, the others scrambling after him. On reaching the sandy strand Mr. Martindale bent down and eagerly ex

are little granules of quartz mixed up with the sand, and a particle or two of

nd fro so as to give the water a concentric motion, Jack and the chief watching him with equal interest. Every now

rocess of elimination

ad absurdu

ess you're smar

ival of the f

the useless light sand, and leaves the heavy stuff

, there was left in the bottom a blackish powder and some c

Martindale. "First time you've se

's the gol

groove as I tilt the pan round. The black stuff is iron-stone;

ing with it the quartz grains and the powder. Jack watched narrowly. After the c

glitter left behind

Mr. Martindale, setting down

pproved the proceedings at the beginning, caught the infection of the lad

a summer-another piece of what you call antiquated rubbish, Jack. There's gold her

nt through the same process with the soil there. He was again re

s up to us now to discover the mother lode. To judge by the size of the stream it can't be far off. The botherat

, uncle. I vote we have our

rovided them. Imbono seemed pleased when he was invited to share their lunch. Going into the forest, he returne

e trace of gold, now slight, now plentiful. Some three miles up they came to a confluence. The stream was joined by a

try thi

hy

. I guess the big stream comes out of the fores

ff their boots and socks and wade. There were trees and bushes here and there on the sides and at the top of the gully, but the vegetation became more and more scanty as they ascended. Presently the sound of falling water struck upon their

ch the cascade sparkling in the sunlight, and

's enough water power there to save many

nery, not machinery, uncle

mill grinding all the same. Now, Jack, you're younger than I am. I want to see what there is by those rocks ten feet away from the bottom o

bottom without immersing himself. The water was too frothy for the bottom to be seen; he groped along it with his hands, bringing up every now a

ought up a handful of stones, not to as eyes differing from what he had seen for the past

s now," said Mr. Martindale. "Why,

the stones back

u'd done, unc

wn. D'you know you've thrown away a nugg

id Jack, somewhat nettled. "I couldn't be ex

the kind of smartening up I mean you to have, you won't talk about what's expected or not expected; you'll ju

together, perhaps. At school, you see, they liked us to do as we were told wit

d now I think we'd better be getting. Put your clothes on. Our brother Imbono has several times anxious

Martindale invited the chief to supper, and gave him a regale which astonished him. To see the white man bring peaches out of a closed pot made Imbono open his eyes; but the sensation of the evening was furnishe

bil water, s

to tea, and being prevailed on to try a pinch of snuff, he laughed

h-cry dust plenty

prohibition. Nando took a long time to convey this to Imbono, and Jack suspected that he was making somewhat lavish promises in the nature of quid pro quo. Imbono at length agreed to the white man's request, provid

of their negroes with picks. On arriving at the spot the men were set

of a soft kind that offers comparatively little resistance to the water, and I'm rather inclined to think that not so very many years ago the cataract was a good deal farther forward than it is now. Well, the gold

fully washed samples of it. In less than an hour the glittering trail shone

indale, with a quiet sigh of satisfaction. "The next t

s above the falls. After a search of some hours Mr. Martindale declared himsel

have to go back to Boma. We can probably get simple materials for working the alluvial deposits there, but the

r. Martindale had lighted his morning ci

be left here with Barney and some

!" said Jack, flus

ch often comes to the same thing. I'm not thinking of

ly my way of saying I sh

body to jump my claim. I don't reckon any one is likely to jump it; still, you never know. That fellow Elbel, now; he's an official of the Belgian company, and he knows what I'm here for. He might take it into his head to steal a march on me, and though I've got the mining monopoly for all this d

chance, uncle. I'll l

on't do for you to make a fool of yourself by trying to oppose 'em by force. All you can do is to sit tight and keep an eye on things till I get back. I don't know I'm doing right to leave you: you're the only nephew I've got, and you can't raise nep

ear old man," said Jack, la

e meeting in his report to headquarters. Anyhow, I should be right back in two or three months-not so very long after all. I'll forward some rifles and ammunition from the first station where I can get 'em: the sale of arms is prohibited in this State, of course

bono. I think we'll get along first-rate. Nando can do t

Boma. I can't get along without an interpreter. That's a nailer on our little scheme, my

thing he had regretted most in leaving Rugby was that he would never be in the Sixth and a "power." He did not shrink from responsibility; and it was hard to have his hopes of

'em knows it but himself. I'll

You told me that none of the men speak English bu

ue, sah. Me speak t

e Mr. Jack here, but I can't do that unless he has some one to

turned, accompanied by a negro a little shorter than himself, but

berrah fine chap. Him Lepoko. Speak Inglesa; berrah clebber. Nando go with

s he?" said Mr. Martindale.

Inglesa one time? Too much nise, massa no can hear what Nando say. Nando go, all same; massa muss ha

Lepoko glibly. "Ten little nigger boys. What d

stay with Mr. Jack. The fellow was hankering after the flesh-pots of Boma, I suppose," he added, when Nando had gone, "and that accounts for his sudden discov

indale mentioned that he would be absen

iac this morning, and seeing that I'll have nothing whativer to do for two

nal interview with Mr. Martindale he had promised to watch carefully over the welfare of his young blood brother; he would supply him and his me

tience-and tact. Go

a pleasant journey. And on the way

ed down the stream, and as it disappeared round a bend of the river Jack

g, Lepoko?" he asked

ell m

brown

brown

e ma

can

bye,

bye,

bye,

e Ja

g Ja

ve Im

y Im

brown

e ma