table on which stood a bucket half filled with what appeared to be ugly
black sand. Just as they entered Mr. Gusher rose from his seat and
exclaimed:

"Greatest discovery what was ever made. There is nothing like it in
history. I tell you it is a great thing, gen-tle-men!" Here he raised
his right hand, and then lowering it ran his fingers into the dark sand,
and drew out a number of discolored Mexican and Spanish dollars. "Wis
zat--what is in zat bucket, gen-tle-mens--and ze ouse of Topman and
Gusher (me) is on a solid basis, as you shall see." Here he rang a dozen
or two of the discolored dollars on the table, adding, "Zis Kidd
Discovery Company is one zing so great as you ever did see,
gen-tle-men."

"And we are indebted to this good, honest old man for all of it--I
should say," rejoined Chapman, checking himself, "for selling us the
secret." Hanz had been smoking his pipe quietly, and seeming to take but
little interest in what was going on. Chapman now slapped him on the
shoulder violently, and shook his hand. "We are indebted to you for this
great and successful enterprise, eh? See the fortune now, don't you?"

"Perhaps I toes, und maybe I ton't," replied Hanz, relieving his mouth
of the pipe. "I shees t' shand, und I shees t' tirty tollars--how I know
where he comes from, eh?" Hanz began to have his suspicion aroused, and
to feel that he had got into queer company. "T' tollar might get back to
t' tivel when you gets him, if I vas only back mit mine Angeline!" said
he, shaking his head doubtingly.

"It is very generous of our friend here," interposed Holbrook, running
his fingers through his tufty red hair, and looking askance through his