“D’you think the gold diggers in—in——” William’s geography was rather weak, so he hastily slurred over the precise locality—“anyway, d’you think the gold diggers found it in one morning? I bet it takes weeks an’ weeks.”
“Well, ’f you think I’m goin’ to go on diggin’ for weeks an’ weeks, I’m not!” said Douglas firmly.
“Well, where can we find some more water to dig by, anyway?” said Ginger the practical.
“It’s a silly idea diggin’ by water. I bet I’d see gold in the earth if there was any without washin’ it,” said Henry.
“An’ I bet you wun’t,” said William indignantly, “I’ve been readin’ tales about it, an’ that’s what it says. D’you think you’re cleverer than all the gold diggers in—in—in those places?”
“Yes, I do, ’f they can’t see gold without washin’ it,” said Henry.
“Where’s some more water, anyway?” said Ginger again plaintively.
They were passing an old house in a large garden. The house had been empty for more than a year because the last owner had died in mysterious circumstances, but that fact did not affect the Outlaws in any way. A stream flowed through the overgrown, neglected garden. William peered through the hedge.
“Water!” he called excitedly. “Come on, an’ dig for gold here.”
Led by William they scrambled through the hedge and trampled gleefully over the grass of the lawn that grew almost as high as their waists.