But you lay it down in grass, and but for the chance of this spud and a lucky thistle, I might have walked over it a score of times without guessing its secret.

Man alive, it's red gold I have here--red, wicked, damnable, delicious gold--the root of all evil and of most joys." "If you lie, you lie enticingly, young man." "By gold, I mean stuff that shall make gold for you.

There is ore here, but what ore exactly I can't tell till I've streamed it: lead, I fancy, with a trace of silver--wealth for you, certainly; and in what quantity you shall find out--" At this juncture a voice was heard calling over the hedge, at the bottom of the field.

It came from Young Zeb, the upper part of whose person, as he stood up in his cart, was just visible between two tamarisk bushes.
"Ru-b-y-y-y!" "Drat the chap!" exclaimed Ruby's father, wheeling round sharply.
"What d'ye wa-a-a-nt ?" he yelled back.
"Come to know 'bout that chest o' dra-w-w-ers!" "Then come 'long round by th' ga-a-ate!" "Can't sta-a-ay! Want to know, as I'm drivin' to Liskeard, if Ruby thinks nine-an'-six too mu-u-ch, as the twiddles be so very cle-v-ver!" "How ridiculous!" muttered the stranger, just loud enough for Ruby to hear.

"Who is this absurd person ?" Jim Lewarne answered--"A low-lived chap, mister, as saved your skin awhile back." "Dear, dear--how unpardonable of me! I hadn't, the least idea at this distance.