"It doesn't seem as if this was our last night in the old shanty," said Jake Bradley, taking the pipe from his mouth. "It ain't a palace, but I shall kinder hate to leave it."

 

"I've got to feel very much at home here myself, Jake; still, I should like to get somewhere where it isn't quite so far out of the world."

 

"There's something in that, Ben."

 

"I haven't heard anything from home for a good many weeks; I wish I knew whether my uncle's family are all well."

 

"How many is there in the family, Ben?"

 

"There's Uncle Job and Aunt Hannah and Cousin Jennie."

 

[Pg 101]"That's just what I thought," said Jake.

 

"I don't understand you," said Ben, puzzled. "What did you think?"

 

"I thought there was a Cousin Jennie."

 

Our hero laughed, and, it may be, blushed⁴ a little. "What made you think that?"

 

"There generally is, I notice," said Mr. Bradley, eagerly. "Is Cousin Jennie pretty?"

 

"To be sure she is."

 

"I thought that too, Ben."

 

"What are you driving at, Jake?"

 

"I was sure there was some one besides the old folks that you was anxious about."

 

"Well, you happen to be right," said Ben, laughing. "But I must tell you that Jennie is only fourteen, and I am only sixteen."

 

"You'll both of you be older some day, Ben. But there's a matter that we must settle before we go."

 

"What's that?"

 

"About the gold we have found since we've been here. We must have some arrangement about dividin' it."

 

[Pg 102]"We sha'n't quarrel about that, Jake."

 

"No, there's no danger of that. That'll be easy enough. We'll divide it into two piles, one for you, and the other for me."

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