“A pesky thief sneaked in, and carried it off, as he thought.”
“How could he think he carried it off when he did not?”
Upon this Obed explained the trick to which he had resorted, and the commissioner laughed heartily.
“Do you know the man—the thief, I mean?” he asked.
“Yes, it is a man that has been prowlin’ round the camp for some weeks, not doin’ anything, but watchin’ for a chance to appropriate the property of some lucky miner. I’d like to see the fellow’s face when he opens the handkerchief this morning, and finds the rock.”
“It appears you have lost a handkerchief, at any rate,” said the commissioner, with a smile.
“He’s welcome to it,” answered Obed, “if it will comfort him any. I brought it away from home two years ago, and now I can afford to buy another.”
By this time the nugget had been carried into the office and exposed to view.
“It is a splendid specimen,” said the commissioner admiringly. “It is certainly the largest that has been found in this camp.”
“Have any been found before?” asked Harry.