CHAPTER XXVIII. — THE NUGGET IN SAFETY.

 Fatigued by their exertions¹ of the previous days and the late hours they had kept, Obed and the boys rose at a later hour than usual. About eight o'clock Obed opened his eyes, and noticed that his two young companions were fast asleep.

 

"It's time to get up, boys," he said, giving them a gentle shake.

 

The boys opened their eyes, and realized, by the bright sunshine entering the cabin, that the day was already well advanced.

 

"What time is it, Obed?" asked Harry².

 

"Past eight o'clock. We shall be late at our work."

 

He smiled, and his smile was reflected on the faces of the boys. Their success of the day before made it a matter of indifference³ whether they accomplished⁴ a good day's work or not.

 

"What are we going to do about the nugget, Obed?" asked Harry.

 

"After breakfast we will carry it to the office of the commissioner⁵, and get his receipt for it."

 

"I shall be glad to get it out of our hands," said Jack⁶.

 

"If that is the case, Jack, suppose you give your share to me," said Harry, in joke.

 

"I didn't mean to get rid of it in that way," said the young sailor.

 

"You would be as ready to give it as I to accept it," said Harry. "No, Jack, I want you to have your share. I am sure you will have a use for it."

 

After breakfast the three emerged from the cabin, bearing the precious nugget with them. They did not meet anyone on their way to the office of the commissioner, for all the miners had gone to their work. This suited them, for until they had disposed of the nugget, they did not care to have their good luck made public.

 

The royal commissioner was a stout⁷ Englishman with a red face and abundant whiskers of the same color. He chanced to be at the door of the office as the party appeared.

 

"Well, can I do anything for you?" he asked.

 

"Yes, sir; you can give us a receipt for this nugget."

 

"Nugget!" ejaculated the commissioner, fixing his eyes for the first time on the burden which Mr. Stackpole carried. "Bless my soul! you don't mean to say that you have found a nugget of that size!"

 

"That's just what we've done," answered Obed.

 

"When did you find it?"

 

"Well, we took it from the mine about midnight. We found it in the afternoon, but calculated we'd better take possession when there wasn't so many lookin' on. I say, Mr. Commissioner, I don't think it would agree with me to be a rich man. I got broken of my rest last night, from havin' the nugget in the cabin."

 

"You ran very little risk. No one could have found out that you had it in your possession," remarked the commissioner.

 

"That's where you are mistaken, commissioner. We came near being robbed of it only an hour after we brought it home."

 

"Bless my soul! How did that happen?"

 

"A pesky thief sneaked⁸ in, and carried it off, as he thought."

 

"How could he think he carried it off when he did not?"

 

Upon this Obed explained the trick to which he had resorted, and the commissioner laughed heartily⁹.

 

"Do you know the man—the thief, I mean?" he asked.

 

"Yes, it is, a man that has been prowlin' round the camp for some weeks, not doin' anything, but watchin' for a chance to appropriate the property of some lucky miner. I'd like to see the fellow's face when he opens the handkerchief this morning, and finds the rock."

 

"It appears you have lost a handkerchief, at any rate," said the commissioner, with a smile.

 

"He's welcome to it," answered Obed, "if it will comfort him any. I brought it away from home two years ago, and now I can afford to buy another."

 

By this time the nugget had been carried into the office and exposed to view.

 

"It is a splendid specimen," said the commissioner admiringly. "It is certainly the largest that has ever been found in this camp."

 

"Has any been found before?" asked Harry.

 

"Yes; six months ago a Scotch¹⁰ miner, named Lindsay, found one weighing twenty-two pounds and some ounces."

 

"Is he here now?"

 

"Yes, and without a shilling."

 

"Didn't his nugget benefit him any then?" asked Harry.

 

"It became a curse to him. He obtained some thousands of dollars for it, and all went in three months."

 

"How did he get rid of it?"

 

"In drinking and gambling¹¹. Two months since he drifted back to the camp in rags. He did not have money enough to buy a claim, but being a good practical miner he got a chance to work a claim on shares for another man, who had just come out from Melbourne, and who knew very little of mining. I hope you will make better use of your money. Are these boys your partners?"

 

"Yes, Mr. Commissioner, they are equal partners. What's one's luck, is the luck of all."

 

Meanwhile the commissioner was weighing the nugget on a pair of scales. The three awaited the result with great interest.

 

"It weighs seventy-four pounds and four ounces," he announced. "My friend, it will be famous in the annals of Australia. If I am not mistaken, when it is known it will create a stampede to our mines."

 

"About how much do you think it will realize?" asked Obed.

 

"At a rough guess, I should say fifteen thousand dollars. It may be more and it may be less."

 

Obed Stackpole's rough face was fairly radiant.

 

"I say, boys," he remarked, turning to Harry and Jack, "that's a pretty good day's work, isn't it?"

 

"I should say so, Obed."

 

The commissioner made out a receipt, which Obed put away carefully in his pocket.

 

"That's better than carrying the nugget round," he said.

 

"I suppose you will go to Melbourne," said the commissioner.

 

"Yes, we shall start in a day or two."

 

Here Obed paused, for it occurred to him that there were practical difficulties in the way of carrying out his plan.

 

"That is," he added slowly, "if we can raise the money. I suppose we can't borrow on the nugget?"

 

"No, but I can suggest a way out of your difficulties. You can sell your claim. It will realize a good round sum, as the one from which the nugget has been taken."

 

"That's so, Mr. Commissioner. Thank you for the suggestion. Boys, there is still some business before us. We'll realize something extra, it seems. I don't care how much, if it's only enough to take us to Melbourne."

 

Just then a miner entered the office, and seeing the nugget instantly made it his purpose to report the lucky find throughout the camp. The effect was instant and electrical. Every miner stopped work, and there was a rush to the commissioner's office to see the nugget. All were cheered up. If there was one nugget, there must be more. Confidence was restored to many who had been desponding. Obed and the two boys were the heroes of the hour, and the crowd came near lifting them on their shoulders, and bearing them off in triumph.

 

Obed felt that this was a good time to sell the claim.

 

"Boys," he said, "we struck it rich and no mistake. How rich I don't know. There may be other nuggets where this came from. But I and my partners want to go back to America. The claim's for sale. Who wants it?"

1 exertions   

n.努力( exertion的名词复数 )；费力；（能力、权力等的）运用；行使

参考例句：

• As long as they lived, exertions would not be necessary to her. 只要他们活着，是不需要她吃苦的。 来自辞典例句
• She failed to unlock the safe in spite of all her exertions. 她虽然费尽力气，仍未能将那保险箱的锁打开。 来自辞典例句

2 harry   

vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
• Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。

3 indifference   

n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎

参考例句：

• I was disappointed by his indifference more than somewhat.他的漠不关心使我很失望。
• He feigned indifference to criticism of his work.他假装毫不在意别人批评他的作品。

4 accomplished   

adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的

参考例句：

• Thanks to your help,we accomplished the task ahead of schedule.亏得你们帮忙,我们才提前完成了任务。
• Removal of excess heat is accomplished by means of a radiator.通过散热器完成多余热量的排出。

5 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

6 jack   

n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克

参考例句：

• I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
• He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。

8 sneaked   

v.潜行( sneak的过去式和过去分词 )；偷偷溜走；（儿童向成人）打小报告；告状

参考例句：

• I sneaked up the stairs. 我蹑手蹑脚地上了楼。
• She sneaked a surreptitious glance at her watch. 她偷偷看了一眼手表。

9 heartily   

adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很

参考例句：

• He ate heartily and went out to look for his horse.他痛快地吃了一顿，就出去找他的马。
• The host seized my hand and shook it heartily.主人抓住我的手，热情地和我握手。

10 scotch   

n.伤口，刻痕；苏格兰威士忌酒；v.粉碎，消灭，阻止；adj.苏格兰(人)的

参考例句：

• Facts will eventually scotch these rumours.这种谣言在事实面前将不攻自破。
• Italy was full of fine views and virtually empty of Scotch whiskey.意大利多的是美景，真正缺的是苏格兰威士忌。

11 gambling   

n.赌博；投机

参考例句：

• They have won a lot of money through gambling.他们赌博赢了很多钱。
• The men have been gambling away all night.那些人赌了整整一夜。