The Tale of Timber Town

he Pro

six-by-eight tent and the blankets and gear necessary to a bushman. He helped his weary steps with a long manuka stick, to which still clung the rough red bark, and looking neither to left nor right, he steadfastly trudged along the middle of the road. What with his ragged black beard which grew almost to his eyes, and the brim of his slouch hat, which had once been black, but was now green with age and weather, only the point of h

a drink, mate

y," replied t

hird. "Can't you see he's

e prospector with an altogether remarkable interest, which rose to positive res

ots on the tesselated pavement inside the bank, and contemplated the Semitic face of the spruce c

arance offended, but the "swagger" backed out of the building, and stood once

mien, and benign countenance, he approached the digger

n his most confidential manner.

ke a ship in full sail towing a battered

clusion of all intruders; took his gold-scales from a shelf where they had stood, unused and dust

wall, thrust his hand inside his "jumper," looked at the goldsmith's rubicund face, drew out a long canvas bag wh

ced the bag

s he looked at the digger with a bland

ut, to all intents and purposes, he remained imperturbable, for his wildern

raucous voice, as though the apprentice were qua

ke a shrapnel shell from the workshop, an

a quart. We'll drink your health," he added, turning to

he wood-hens in the "bush" had caused the hinges of his speech to become rusty. His words je

. Good streak o' luck. Good streak, as you say. Ye

dirty with disuse; then he untied the bag of gold, and poured the ri

th his grimy forefinger. "It'll go ￡3 15s. You're in luck, mister. You've struck it rich, a

ty." He laughed again. "You must think me pretty green,

adroitly, he winnowed it with his nicotine-ladened breath till no particle of sand rem

's arithmetic was as rusty as the digger's speech, for the sum took so long to work out that the owner of the gold had time to cut a "fill" of tobacco

ngs and elevenpence farthing. That's as nea

digger; the dig

resco. "To whom shal

laughed the digger. "I

cide

sometimes Bill the Hatter. I ain't particul

d and nine pounds.' No, sir, that will hardlee do

ou must have it-though it ar'n't hardly ever used-pu

an to draw

en Jake entered with the quart jug, tripped over the digger's swag, spilt half-a-pint of bee

ger. "Let the young feller ha

asped the situatio

at's all right," folded it up, put it in his breeches' pocket just as if it had

men. No, sir; not thus must you depart. Refresh the inner man. F

is workshop, placed the jug on his bench, and soon t

Here's fun," drank deep and gasped-the froth ornamenting hi

ay back, where there're n

k," acknowled

eeks? You must

the depth of his pocket, and drew forth a fine nugg

the lump of gold

e oun

ee,

rn out your pockets, miste

s my lucky bit; the first I found." Another chuckle. "Tell you what. Some day you can make me something out

s lips, and look

ngle a digger in a swollen creek. Where'd his luck be

laughed h

ssis'd want more'n an ounce and a half f

no kid to share

in-"worse 'an ever. You're gettin' at me f

d some for your toes. I could pretty near make you a collarette, to wear when you go to evening parties in a low-neck

perplexed. The p

suit you?" sugges

wha

rm, with a charm de

a woman, tha

the Dook o' York, an' all the elite

You're a goer. There ain't no keepin' up with the likes o' you. You shall make what you bl

r," said Jake, w

Tresco. "You'll pass it

See you later." And, shouldering hi

"Eight o'clock this evening. S

th half-shut eyes watched the prospe

he gold, sold in this town, comes from. Nor I can't

er stuck in the band of his hat. "That's where he's come from!" Tresco pointed in the direction o

asked Jake, who sto

nny less than ￡3/17

￡3/15/-. Good

t the bank for three hundred shillings. So I must go and sell this go

covery of this galoot don't mean a gold boom in Timber Town, you may