“Get up everybody,” shouted Grant, the first to arise. “We’ve got work to do.”
“Yon won’t have to call me twice,” exclaimed John, hastily rising to his feet. “It seems to me I’ve been awake half the night anyway, just waiting for that old sun to come out and give us enough light to see.”
“Suppose it had been a cloudy day and the sun hadn’t come out, String,” said George, who had now joined the others. “I suppose you’d have had to stay in bed all day. My, that would have been tough luck.”
“You’re pretty funny for so early in the morning,” said John shortly. “After you’ve broken your back digging for a couple of hours maybe you won’t feel quite so smart.”
“My back will never get tired digging for gold,” laughed George. “I could keep at it for a week and not even feel it.”
“An’ me too,” chimed in Sam. “Ah is pow’ful strong when it come to dat kind ob diggin’.”
“Well, let’s get some breakfast and then give all these strong men a chance,” laughed Fred.
“Aren’t you going swimming first?” demanded George.
“I’m going, I know that,” said John enthusiastically. “I don’t intend to miss any swims in the mornings if I can help it.”
“How about sharks?” queried Grant. “I should think you’d have had just about all the swimming you’d want, String.”