“Come, don’t joke. I’m anxious to know, because he was very hard up when I left.”
“More shame to you for leaving him, my young Philosopher,” returned the captain, “but I tell you the truth; I sent him 1000 pounds sterling, and I believe there’s as much lyin’ here in gold-dust and nuggets that belongs to you. We’ve all done equally well, I’m thankful to say, and, better than that, good fortune seems to have brought us good health. Even Ben Trench there is able to dig like the rest of us.”
“Not exactly,” said Ben with a pleasant smile at his old friend Wilkins, “but I’m very well, thank God, and able to do a little. I wouldn’t have been what I am now but for the care of this dear little nurse.”
Polly was quite pleased with the compliment, and made a liberal offer to supply more tea to any of the company who might want it.
All this, and a great deal more, was corroborated by every one present; moreover, it was told them that there were many other claims which had suddenly turned out well, and that the whole aspect of these diggings had changed for the better.
“And what of Mr Luke?” asked Jack, glancing round the circle.
“Gone,” said the captain, “nobody knows where. He became gloomier and stranger than ever after you went away, and one morning announced his intention to leave us and return to San Francisco. He left, and has not been heard of since. Bob Corkey, too, is off. He got restless and disappointed at our bad luck, said he’d go away prospectin’ on his own hook, and went.”
“Good luck go with him! He was altogether too fond of argifying,” said Simon O’Rook.
“He’s not the only one,” remarked Baldwin Burr, with a grin.
After much consideration and consultation, it was agreed that, in the meantime, the party should remain where they were, and, when their claims began to fail, go off to Grizzly Bear Gulch.