"What will you do when you have sold your freight?"
"I don't know. Anything. Why?"
"I have a fancy, and you shall not laugh at me. Pete gave me the map to find his creek when he died. That is good. Now comes another Englishman, also dying. I am, what do you call it—abergläubig?"
"I don't know superstitious perhaps?"
"Perhaps superstitious. Suppose this man gets well, he has no money, he is dead-broke, and very young. Do you see?"
"I see. You say he is ill and a 'dead-beat.' Most of your patients are that way, Lilla."
"No, he is not a 'dead-beat.' I think he is—ach, well no matter. But see here, if you will give money for the outfit and grub, and take this man along when he is well again, I will give you the map, and you two can take half the mine between you. Is that good?"
"But why give him a quarter of your mine?"
"I give you a quarter also; and I tell you Pete was English, and you say you are English, and he is English. I think Pete would have liked it so, and this shall bring me luck."
"As you please, Lilla. I would go for you for nothing. Shall I have the map to-night?" And at that moment the light fell upon the man's face, which he had moved somewhat during the conversation, and showed that the mouth was twitching and the eyes glittering with strong excitement which would not be entirely suppressed.