Their conversation drifted to dangerous ground.

‘Have you found nothing to help poor Frank?’ she asked.

‘Nothing,’ he said sharply and suspiciously.

‘I am sorry.  Oh! how I wish I could aid you!’

‘There’s one man that might do that, but he won’t.’

‘One man?  One?  You said that strangely.  One man?  Who would be so brutal?’

His silence stung her.  She turned sharply.

‘Oh, you don’t mean—­surely, surely you don’t mean father?’

Again he did not answer.

‘It is not right,’ she cried out.  ’You can have no reason to think that.  You say it to hurt me.’

‘I didn’t say it.’

‘You meant it—­you mean it still.’

She quickened her pace and they exchanged no more words until the walk was ended, then she gave him her hand over the gate.

‘Good-night,’ she said.  ‘You were more generous as a boy, Harry.’

He took her hand.  It was ungloved, and felt small and tender in his hard palm.  The touch awoke a sudden passion in him.  Both of his hands held hers, his head bent over it, and he blurted something in apology.  ’Don’t mind me!  I didn’t mean it!  Please, please—­’ He did not know what he was saying, and the words were too low and confused to reach her ears; but she went up the garden path with an elate bird in her heart singing such a song of gladness that the world was filled with its music, and the girl knew its meaning and yet wondered at it.

Harry stood nervously gripping the pickets of the gate and gazed after her, and continued gazing for many minutes when she had gone.  Then he swung off into the bush, walking rapidly, and was glad in a stern rebellious way—­glad in spite of his mission, in spite of his brother, in spite of and defiance of every thing.

CHAPTER XIII.

Meanwhile matters of interest were progressing below at the Mount of Gold mine.  The juvenile shareholders of the Company had done a fair amount of work in the soft reef of the new drive at odd times during the last fortnight; and the drive, which diminished in circumference as it progressed, and threatened presently to terminate in a sharp point, had been driven in quite fifteen feet.  But to-night the young prospectors were not interested in mining operations.  On top Dick Haddon’s big billy-goat was feeding greedily on the lush herbage of the Gaol Quarry; below, Dick and his boon companions were preparing for a tremendous adventure.

After escaping from his room Dick had hunted up Jacker Mack, Phil Doon, and Billy Peterson.  He came upon the two former at a propitious time, when both were slowly recovering from the physical effects of an ’awful doing’ administered by their respective fathers at the instigation of the School Committee; when they were still filled with bitterness towards all mankind, and satisfied that life was hollow and vain, and there was no happiness or peace for a well meaning small boy on this side of the grave.  Peterson had succeeded in avoiding the head of his house so far, but was filled with anxiety.  Dick easily persuaded all three to accompany him to the mine, there to discuss the situation and plot a fitting revenge.