cursed and swore most horribly; for with his long experience of gold
mining, he knew that the long-looked for Devil's Lead was near at
hand. Billy, becoming excited with his master, began to swear also;
and these two companions cursed Madame Midas and all that belonged
to her most heartily. If Slivers could only have seen the interior
of Madame Midas's dining room, by some trick of necromancy, he would
certainly not have been able to do the subject justice in the
swearing line.

There were present Madame Midas, Selina, McIntosh, and Vandeloup,
and they were all gathered round the table looking at the famous
nugget. There it lay in the centre of the table, a virgin mass of
gold, all water-worn and polished, hollowed out like a honeycomb,
and dotted over with white pebbles like currants in a plum pudding.

'I think I'll send it to Melbourne for exhibition,' said Mrs
Villiers, touching the nugget very lightly with her fingers.

''Deed, mum, and 'tis worth it,' replied McIntosh, whose severe face
was relaxed in a grimly pleasant manner; 'but losh! 'tis naething
tae what 'ull come oot o' the Deil's Lead.'

'Oh, come, now,' said Vandeloup, with a disbelieving smile, 'the
Devil's Lead won't consist of nuggets like that.'

'Maybe no,' returned the old Scotchman, dryly; 'but every mickle
makes a muckle, and ye ken the Lead wull hae mony sma' nuggets,
which is mair paying, to my mind, than yin large ain.'

'What's the time?' asked Madame, rather irrelevantly, turning to