tell her all about things over here. It's been a hard old life, but so
far I haven't done a single thing that I wouldn't be proud to tell her
about. No, sir, not one! I can say: 'Mazie, I did this and I did that,'
and Mazie'll say, 'Oh, Johnny! Wasn't that gr-ran-nd?'"

Johnny grinned as the thought of it and felt decidedly better. After
all, what was the use of living if one was to live on and on and on and
never have any adventures worth the telling?

For some time he lay sprawled out before the lamp in silent reflection,
then he sat up suddenly and pounded his knee.

"By Jove! I'll bet that's it!" he exclaimed.

He had happened upon a new theory regarding the Russian. It seemed
probable to him that this man, knowing of this gold mine, perhaps being
owner of it, had come north to determine its value and the advisability
of opening it for operation in the spring. In these days, when the money
market of the world was gold hungry, that glittering, yellow metal was
of vast importance, especially to the warring factions of Russia.
Surely, this seemed a plausible explanation. And if it was true then he
could hurry on up the coast, with or without his companions and make his
way home.

"But then," he said, perplexed again. He reached his hand into his
pocket to draw out the envelope he had found in the mine. "But then,
there's the diamonds. Would a man coming on such a journey bring such
treasure with him? He couldn't trade them to the natives. They know
money well enough, but not diamonds."