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“Yes, on the whole. But I don’t see the good of hurrying on now to reach the township at an unearthly hour, when all the time we might camp in comfort anywhere here. To my mind, a few hours, or even a night or two, more or less—”

“Are neither here nor there? Exactly!” broke in Edmonstone, with increasing warmth. “Jack, Jack! the days those very words cost us! Add them up subtract them from the time we’ve been on the roads and we’d have been back a week ago at least. I shall have no peace of mind until I step out of the bank, and that’s the truth of it.” As he spoke, the fingers of Edmonstone’s right hand rested for a moment, with a curious, involuntary movement, upon his right breast.

“I can see that!” returned Flint, serenely. “The burden of riches, you see and young blood! When you’ve been out here as long as I have, you’ll take things easier, my son.”

“You don’t understand my position,” said Edmonstone. “You laugh when I tell you I came out here to make money: all the same, I mean to do it. I own I had rotten ideas about Australia all new chums have. But if I can’t peg out my claim and pick up nuggets, I’m going to do the next best thing. It may be hawking and it may not. I mean to see. But we must give the thing a chance, and not run unnecessary risks with the gross proceeds of our very first trip. A hundred and thirty pounds isn’t a fortune; but it may be the nucleus of one; and it’s all we’ve got between us in this world meanwhile.”