“Easy enough.  The water came down to us thick and muddyish, so I knew you were washing up stream.”

“Confound my stupid head,” cried Robinson, “I deserve to have it cut off after all my experience.”

And he actually capered with vexation.

“The best may make a mistake,” said the other soothingly.  “Well, captain, you did us a good turn last night, so here is your claim.  We put your pal’s pick in it—­here close to us.  Oh! there was a lot that made difficulties, but we over-persuaded them.”

“Indeed!  How?”

“Gave them a hiding, and promised to knock out any one’s brains that went into it.  Oh! kindness begets kindness, even in a gold mine.”

“It does,” cried Robinson, “and the proof is—­that I give you the claim.  Here come this way and seem to buy it of me.  All their eyes are upon us.  Now split your gang, and four take my claim.”

“Well, that is good of you.  But what will you do, captain?  Where shall you go?” And his eyes betrayed his curiosity.

“Humph!  Well, I will tell you on condition that you don’t bring two thousand after me again.  You should look behind you as well as before, stupid.”

These terms agreed to, Robinson let Ede know that he was going this moment back to the old digging.  The other was greatly surprised.  Robinson then explained that in the old digging gold lay at various depths and was inexhaustible; that this afternoon there would be a rush made from it to Robinson’s Gully (so the spot where they stood was already called); that thousands of good claims would thus by diggers’ law be vacated; and that he should take the best before the rush came back, which would be immediately, since Robinson’s Gully would be emptied of its gold in four hours.

“So clear out your two claims,” said he.  “It won’t take you two hours.  All the gold lies in one streak four inches deep.  Then back after me; I’ll give you the office.  I’ll mark you down a good claim.”

Mr. Ede, who was not used to this sort of thing since he fought for gold, wore a ludicrous expression of surprise and gratitude.  Robinson read it and grinned superior, but the look rendered words needless, so he turned the conversation.

“How did you get your black eye?”

“Oh! didn’t I tell you?  Fighting with the blackguards for your claim.”

It was now Robinson’s turn to be touched.

“You are a good fellow.  You and I must be friends.  Ah! if I could but get together about forty decent men like you, and that had got gold to lose.”

“Well,” said Ede, “why not?  Here are eight that have got gold to lose, thanks to you, and your own lot—­that makes ten.  We could easy make up forty for any good lay; there is my hand for one.  What is it?”

Robinson took Ede’s hand with a haste and an energy that almost startled him, and his features darkened with an expression unusual now to his good-natured face.  “To put down thieving in the camp,” said he, sternly.