He still broke off pieces and critically examined them, now and then wetting the piece with his tongue and applying the glass.

At last he exclaimed: "We've got it!" We were full of anxiety in a moment.

The rock was clean and white, where it was broken, and across it ran a ragged thread of blue.

He said that that little thread had silver in it, mixed with base metal, such as lead and antimony, and other rubbish, and that there was a speck or two of gold visible.

After a great deal of effort we managed to discern some little fine yellow specks, and judged that a couple of tons of them massed together might make a gold dollar, possibly.