"Then—well, I reckon we'll try the northern fields. Palmer Billy and Peters have both been up there, and they say there are tons of gold to be had if one only has the capital to go on. But I don't fancy we shall go there. Palmer Billy is too fly to talk about a reef if there is none. We'll strike it, you see, and come home with a team-load of nuggets."
"You'll be rich then, Tony," she said.
"Yes," he answered, with a laugh.
"Richer than young Dickson of Barellan," she added, watching him closely.
"I dare say," he answered, half impatiently.
"And then—I suppose you'll get married?" she said softly, but with her eyes still fixed on his face.
"Oh, my troubles," he exclaimed.
"I suppose it will be Ailleen?" she went on.
He got up from where he was sitting.
"Reckon I'll have a smoke," he said. "I brought the old man a plug of new stuff Marmot was cracking up. I'll just try it and see how it goes."