“About a hundred miles off, or so,” replied Mr Rawlings.
“Oh, that’s pretty close for the backwoods!” said Ernest Wilton lightly, as he quickened his steps to join Seth Allport, who had hailed out to the two stragglers to “hurry up,” for the “lazy lubbers” that they were; the ex-mate of the Susan Jane having awaited with some considerable impatience, for a rather unconscionable length of time, the end of the interview between the two Englishmen, although he was too good-hearted, and had too much good taste, to interrupt them before he saw that their chat was finished.
Story 1—Chapter XII.
“Love’s Labour Lost.”
“Now, mister,” said Seth Allport, when the young engineer closed-up to his side, “I guess you’ve seed our location, and you’ve seed ourselves:—now, see the mine afore you. What d’ye think of it, hey?”
The “location” looked as favourable a one for mining purposes as it was charming to the eye; but appearances are not everything to those who toil beneath the surface of the earth, and so Ernest Wilton well knew.
“What strata have you passed through?” asked he of Seth.
“I s’pose yer mean the sile, don’t yer?” said Seth Allport.