"My gootness! dat is de richest bit of quartz ever seen on this place! Your fortune is made!"
"What I propose," said Alec, "is that you go an' peg out the ground, an' apply for a claim in your name and mine. I'll go half-shares with you."
"Mine goot friend! many tousand tanks. Do you tink I would set your ankle's bone, and take advantages of you vile you are hopping apout on one leg? No, no! mine friend. It is your reef. If you make me de manager of de mine dat is all right!"
It was so arranged. Max found the reef by tracking Annie's horse from his own door. He pegged the ground, and applied for a lease. The first ton of quartz yielded 50 ounces of gold. The first six months' work produced 2721 ounces.
Alec Smith was a rich man. He married Annie. They live in a comfortable house adjoining the mine, and are very happy.
No one on the station ever heard of Lanky Tim again.