"I reckon Scottie is keeping back his gold from his mates," said Bill aggrievedly.
"How much did you get, Mac?" I interrupted soothingly, for Mac had been my companion in many a journey, and I understood his nature well.
"I dinna ken," he answered, handing me a fair-sized pouch; "aboot hauf a pun', I think."
"What!" roared the men, springing to their feet.
"Lor, Scottie! Does ye mean——?"
"Eight ounces exactly," I announced. "Mac has made £30 for one day's work."
"Scodland for ever!" shouted Kaiser from the midst of a cloud of native tobacco-smoke, and the others echoed his sentiments. Next day all hands assisted at Mac's machine, which showed in its construction many signs of that gentleman's ingenuity; but it had not been designed to bear the strain now put upon it, and after a few hours' work the bamboo ripples fell away. However it may apply in other circumstances, it is a recognised law among prospectors that misfortunes never come singly, therefore we were not surprised that afternoon when the river suddenly came down "a banker" (in flood) and carried away all our preparations for a new machine. Doc, who was of a philosophical nature, went out shooting when it became apparent that no further work could be done that day. When he returned to camp I saw from his face that the last of our misfortunes had not yet been reached.
"The Papangis and Babagas are out," he said quietly.
"That means——?" I said.
"That we'd better git, quick an' lively too," interrupted Bill.