“But you think it lies somewhere up-country?” said Chumbley, seriously.
“Sure of it, my dear boy!” cried the doctor, eagerly; “and I shall of course use every effort to find Rosebury: but to be honest, it would be unnatural if I did not look out for the great object of my thoughts at times.”
“What, the chaplain?” said Hilton.
“No, the Ophir gold mines,” said the doctor, seriously; “but really it is a great trouble to me, this disappearance of my brother-in-law. You couldn’t go with me, could you, Hilton?”
“I go? No, I’m afraid not, doctor.”
Chumbley gave a curious start at this, but was immovable of aspect the next moment.
“It’s my belief,” he said quietly, “that when you come to the point and find the chaplain, it will be where the doctor wants to get to so earnestly.”
“What do you mean?” cried Dr Bolter.
“Depend upon it he has discovered Ophir, and is sitting upon the gold. That’s why he does not come back?”
“You don’t think so, do you?” cried the doctor, earnestly.