Whether handling pick or shovel, toiling at the windlass, or ringing the heavy hammer on the drill, he wrought with a feverish energy that amazed his mates, who ascribed it all to an excusable but rather insane anxiety to test the value of their mine in the mill.

For their part they were very well satisfied with the golden prospects, and quite content to 'go slow' in the certain hope of early affluence.
The next important piece of news the Mercury had to offer referred to Ephraim Shine, who had recovered consciousness in the gaol hospital but was declared to be dying from an old ailment.

Steps were to be taken to secure his dying deposition.

On the Saturday morning came the information that Shine was dead, and with this came the full text of his deposition--a complete confession, setting forth his crimes and those of Joe Rogers without reservation, and completely exonerating Frank Hardy.
Rogers and Shine had been working together to rob the mine for two years.
Their apparent hostility was a blind to deceive the people.

They had conspired to fix the crime upon Frank at Rogers' suggestion, for the reason that his vigilance was making it unsafe for the faceman to continue his thefts, and because they hoped his conviction would arrest the growing suspicions.