English gold into the currency of the country.

"You have not got your horses yet, I suppose, Dave?"

"No, we shall go up the river about a hundred and twenty miles. There we
shall buy horses cheaper than we can get them here. We have got rifles
and colts; they are things one can't very well do without in knocking
about among the hills. I will go round the town, and I have no doubt I
shall be able to pick you up what you want cheap. There are so many men
get rubbed out one way or the other that such things are pretty often
for sale."

The other two miners, who during Dick's illness had nothing to do but to
stroll about the town, both knew of men who had rifles or revolvers to
dispose of, and in a couple of hours the purchases were completed and a
considerable stock of ammunition was also bought.

"I should recommend yer," the miner called 'Zekel said, as the party
were talking matters over that evening, "to rig yourselves out miner
fashion. Them uniforms looks very nice on board ship, but they aint much
good for knocking about in the mountains; and yer can leave them here,
and take to them again when yer gets back."

The lads thought the advice was good, and next day rigged themselves out
in red shirts and high boots, in which were tucked the bottom of the
thick moleskin trousers. They also bought jackets of the same material
as the troupers.

"You will be glad of them at night," Dave said; "it gets pretty cold up
in the mountains when the sun is down, and we shan't be lighting any