The ceremony over, Jack stood up.
“It’s awfully good of you,” he said, “to give me the credit of this new ‘find,’ but as a matter of fact I have had little to do with it. The real discoverer is the man who came in from the bush, some six weeks ago, and painted the town red. After doing him justice, you should pay your respects to my mate, Moonlight, who is more at home in the bush than he is in town. To him you owe the declaration of the new field. I shall be returning in a day or two, and I shall be glad to take with me any of you who care to come. I promise you a rough journey, but there is good gold at the end of it.”
He raised his glass to his lips, drained it, and sat down.
“We must organise,” said the giant who had read from the newspaper, “we must form ourselves into some sort of a company, for mutual strength and support.”
The notion of so big a man calling upon his fellows for help did not seem to strike anybody as peculiar, if not pathetic.
“Chair, chair,” cried the pompous Mr. Tonks. “I propose that Mr. Crewe be placed in the chair.”
“Hear, hear.”
“Unity is strength.”
“Limited liability——”
“Order! ORDER!”