Sammy and Johnny quickened their motions a little, and said they would be ready “in a minute.”
Meanwhile Messrs. Simmons and Long, assisted by the devoted Bogud, had been sorting their minerals’ in a general way, and wrapping each specimen in paper. Two good-sized baskets were filled, and many of them were very fine indeed. There were some fern prints, and some tracks of birds on sandstone, which Mr. Long had found, and which he regarded with the tenderest admiration. There was a very excellent amethyst, found by Mr. Simmons, some mica, some barytes, and, above all, a piece of quartz, in which faint flecks of gold were visible. It was taken from a vein which ran up the cliff, and was a foot or more in thickness. It seemed to promise a rich gold harvest to any one who might choose to try gold-crushing in so remote a place.
The tender interest excited by all these treasures, and the occupation of putting them into separate baskets, had so fully engrossed their thoughts, that they had not noticed any particular delay. At last, however, the work was done; and then it was that Mr. Long thought about the claims of appetite.
He started to his feet.
“What!” he cried, as he looked around; “not ready yet? Why, what’s the matter?”
“In a minute,” said Sammy Ram Ram.
“Yes, yes—in a minute,” chimed in Johnny Blue.
“A minute? Well, that’s longer than I can wait. So come along, all of us!” said Mr. Long, advancing to the place where a cloth had been spread. The rest all followed.
There was a very meagre repast—in fact, but the beginning of a repast—before them.
“Come, hurry up!” said Mr. Long, as he and Mr. Simmons, followed by the rest, threw themselves on the grass around the table-cloth. “Fetch along some of the turkey and chickens quick!” There was no response. Sammy and Johnny both stood looking excessively guilty.