the lie of the mine--o'er yonder,' putting one finger on the plan
and pointing with the other to the right of the tunnel; 'we found a
twenty-ounce nugget yesterday, and ain afore that o' twenty-five,
and in the first face we were at twa months ago o'er there,'
pointing to the left, 'there was yin big ain I ca'd the Villiers
nugget, which as ye ken is Madame's name.'

'Oh, yes, I know that,' said Vandeloup, much interested; 'do you
christen all your nuggets?'

'If they're big enough,' replied Archie.

'Then I hope you will find a hundred-ounce lump of gold, and call it
the Vandeloup,' returned the young man, laughing.

There's mony a true word spoke in jest, laddie,' said Archie,
gravely; 'when we get to the Deil's Lead we may find ain o' that
size.'

'What do you mean by leads?' asked Vandeloup, considerably puzzled.

Thereupon Archie opened his mouth, and gave the young man a
scientific lecture on mining, the pith of which was as follows:--

'Did ye no ken,' said Mr McIntosh, sagaciously, 'in the auld days--I
winna say but what it micht be as far back as the Fa' o' Man, may be
a wee bit farther--the rains washed a' the gold fra the taps o' the
hills, where the quartz reefs were, down tae the valleys below,
where the rivers ye ken were flowin'. And as the ages went on, an'
nature, under the guidance o' the Almighty, performed her work, the