"Oh, no," replied Miss Brown, "but I have always had a great curiosity
to see how gold was obtained. It seems as if it must be very easy to
handle those little pans. Don't you--don't you suppose some miner would
lend me his pan and let me try just _once?_"

"Certingly, marm; ev'ry galoot ov'em would be glad of the chance. Here,
you fellers--who's got the cleanest pan?"

Half a dozen men washed out their pans, and hurried off with them.
Toledo selected one, put in dirt and water, and handed it to Miss Brown.

"Thar you are, marm, but I'm afeared you'll wet your dress."

"Oh, that won't harm," cried Miss Brown, with a laugh which caused one
enthusiastic miner to "cut the pigeon-wing."

She got the miner's touch to a nicety, and in a moment had a spray of
dirty water flying from the edge of the pan, while all the boys stood in
a respectful semicircle, and stared delightedly. The pan empty, Toledo
refilled it several times; and, finally, picking out some pebbles and
hard pieces of earth, pointed to the dirty, shiny deposit in the bottom
of the pan, and briefly remarked:

"Thar 'tis, marm."

"Oh!" screamed Miss Brown, with delight; "is that really gold-dust?"

"That's it," said Toledo. "I'll jest put it up fur yer, so yer ken
kerry it."