"Stop! if you and I are to be companions in trouble, you must not call
me _Mister_ Frank, you must drop the mister."
"Then I won't go with 'e, sir, that's all about it," said Joe firmly.
"Very well, please yourself," said Frank, with a laugh; "but if painting
is so hopeless, what would you advise?"
"The diggin's," answered Joe.
"I thought so," said Frank, shaking his head.
"Most men out of work rush to the diggings. Indeed, many men are fools
enough to leave their work to go there, but I confess that I don't like
the notion. It has always appeared to me such a pitiful thing to see
men, who are fit for better things, go grubbing in the mud for gold."
"But what are men to do, Mr Frank, w'en they can't git no other work?"
"Of course it is better to dig than to idle or starve, or be a burden on
one's friends; nevertheless, I don't like the notion of it. I suppose,
however, that I must try it just now, for it is quite certain that we
cannot exist here without gold. By the way, Joe, have you got any
more?"
"Not a rap, sir."
"H'm, then I doubt whether I have enough to buy tools, not to speak of
provisions."
"I've bin' thinkin' about that, sir," said Joe, "and it seems to me that
our only chance lie in settin' up a grog and provision store!"
"A grog and provision store!"
"Yes, sir, the fact is that I had laid in a stock of pipes and baccy,
tea and brandy, for winter's use this year. Now as things have turned
out, I shan't want these just at this minute, so we can sell 'em off to
the diggers at a large profit. We might make a good thing of it, sir,
for you've no notion wot prices they'll give for things on the road to
the diggin's--"
Frank here interrupted his friend with a hearty laugh, and at the same
time declared that he would have nothing to do with the grog and
provision store; that he would rather take to porterage than engage in
any such enterprise.
"Well, then, sir, we won't say no more about that, but wot coorse would
ye advise the ship's head to be laid?"
Frank was silent for a few minutes as he sat with downcast eyes,
absorbed in meditation. Then he looked up suddenly, and said, "Joe,
I'll give you a definite answer to that question to-morrow morning.
To-night I will think over it and make arrangements. Meanwhile, let it
suffice that I have made up my mind to go to the diggings, and if you
remain in the same mind to-morrow, come here all ready for a start."
The ruddy countenance of the sturdy ex-porter beamed with gratification
as he rose and took his leave of Frank, who heard him, as he walked
away, making sundry allusions in nautical phraseology to having his
anchor tripped at last, and the sails shook out, all ready for a start
with the first o' the flood-tide in the morning!