it is extremely small, but at least there is a possibility, and I take it
as a drowning man catches at a straw."

"By the way, you mustn't think only of gold; silver is, after all, the
chief source of the riches of Peru, and there are numbers of
extraordinarily rich mines. It is calculated that three hundred millions
have been produced since the first occupation by the Spaniards.
Quicksilver is also very abundant; copper and lead are found too, but
there is not much to be done with them at present, owing to the cost of
carriage. There is good shooting in the mountains on the eastern side of
the Andes, and you will find plenty of sport there."

They talked over the matter for some time before they separated, and Harry
Prendergast became quite excited over it. On his return to his rooms he
was astonished to find the candles alight and a strong smell of tobacco
pervading the place. A lad of about sixteen leapt from the easy-chair in
which he had been sitting, with his feet on another.

"Hullo, Harry, I didn't expect you back so soon! The maid said you were
dining out, and I suppose that generally means one o'clock before you are
back."

"Well, what brings you here, Bert? I thought I had got you off my hands
for a year at least."

"I thought so, myself," the lad said coolly; "but circumstances have been
too strong for me. We were running down the Channel the night before last,
when a craft that was beating up ran smack into us. I don't know that it
was his fault more than ours; the night was dark, and it was very thick,
and we did not see each other until she was within a length of us. Luck