The Tale of Timber Town

er of Ti

d? You say it came from within fifty miles of Timber Town? Why, sir, the matter must be

ent Mr. Crewe, Scarlett, and Cathro, a little man w

pocket, I looked at it, open-eyed-I can tell you that. I called the landlord, and ordered drinks-I thought that the right thing t

e uttered. Glancing at the lean and wizened Cathro, he said, "You he

ich he placed upon the table. Taking a crisp one-pound note from the pile, he folded

said, and placed a sovereign on

my hairy friend

death,'

s,' sa

digger, Cathro, the true digger, I know the genus-t

n tails, and I poc

r. We'll see if I can't get it back,' and he put another note on

,' I said, 'but when you come to

t off to-morrer mornin' an, before nightfall, I'd be on ground where a week's work would giv

whares and tents, when the ground on which this very club stands was a flax-swamp. I have seen this town grow, sir, from a camp to the principal town of a province. I know every man and boy living in it, do I not,

e man's mates?

aid. 'No, sir. I'm a hatter-no one knows the place but me. I'm sole possessor of hundreds of thousands of ounces of gold

contemplatively. "I don't know the name.

but a Timber Town man should get these

ntry round here for gold, and, by Jupiter! a stranger, an outsider, a mere interloper, a miserable 'hatter' from God knows where, discovers gold two days' journey from the town, and brings in over eighty ounces?" The old man's voice ran up to

smoked silentl

intance," said Cathro. "The game is to go mate

em sat silent,

turally sanguine, but I know these diggers. They may be communicative enough over a

s cups." This was Cathro's suggestion, and he added, "If he won't take us as mates, we may at least lear

t myself and prospect on my own account. For believe me, gentlemen, this may be the biggest event in the history of Timber Town." Mr. Crewe had risen to his feet, and was walking to and fro in front of the younger men. "If payable gold were found in these hills, this town would double its population in three months, business wo