For some minutes they could neither of them do much more than stare with amazement.
"Where, where did you get it?" he asked.
She showed him. He emptied the gold into the crown of his hat, and, bareheaded, scooped up another pan of gravel, which he washed, and found to be as full of gold as hers was.
They were calmer now; but they looked at each other with immense satisfaction, for they realised what they had discovered.
"May, my dear, we've got gold at last!" he exclaimed. "Our fortune is made; but, oh! if we could but let your dear mother know—eh?"
They were both in tears, quite overcome with emotion; but they were very thankful.
Every one carried a little gold scales, so they soon weighed what they had obtained. There were over twenty ounces, worth £70 at least.
That there was plenty more ground like it they made sure by trying several places around, and all gave splendid prospects. In an hour or two they had £200 worth!
Then they hurried back to camp, joyful and grateful.
May said she had much difficulty to calm her father, he was so exalted: she greatly feared he would have a fainting fit again.