“No, Harry, you are smarter than I am, and I leave it to you.”
“Thank you, Jack, for your confidence, but we are on a par here. Neither of us knows much about Australia. We have a great deal to learn.”
“Then you had better decide for us both.”
“Very well, I accept the responsibility, but I prefer to talk over my plans with you. First of all, then, shall we stay in Melbourne, or strike for the mines?”
“Just as you say, Harry, but I would prefer the mines.”
“I feel that way myself, and for that reason I have been making some inquiries. There are three principal localities—Ballarat, Bendigo, and Ovens. We might try one of the three, and if we don’t have good luck make our way to another.”
“Which shall we try first?”
“I have thought of Bendigo. I hear of one party that cleared two thousand pounds out of one hole.”
“How much is that?” asked Jack, who was not very well acquainted with any but United States currency.
“It is equal to ten thousand dollars,” answered Harry.