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a sort of apology。 Bulteel smiled quietly； and asked what harm
they could do him； raking that rubbish。 〃Rake it all avay； mine
vriends；〃 said he： 〃ve shall thank you moch。〃
He then invited them languidly to his house。 They went with him；
and as he volunteered no more remarks； they questioned him； and
learned his father had been a Hollander； and so had his vrow's。
This accounted for the size and comparative cleanliness of his
place。 It was stuccoed with the lime of the country outside； and
was four times as large as the miserable farmhouses of the
degenerate Boers。 For all this； the street door opened on the
principal room； and that room was kitchen and parlor； only very
large and wholesome。 〃But； Lord；〃 as poor dear Pepys used to blurt
out〃to see how some folk understand cleanliness！〃 The floor was
made of powdered ants' nests； and smeared with fresh cow…dung every
day。 Yet these people were the cleanest Boers in the colony。
The vrow met them； with a snow…white collar and cuffs of Hamburgh
linen； and the brats had pasty faces round as pumpkins； but shone
with soap。 The vrow was also pasty…faced； but gentle； and welcomed
them with a smile； languid； but unequivocal。
The Hottentots took their horses； as a matter of course。 Their
guns were put in a corner。 A clean cloth was spread； and they saw
they were to sup and sleep there； though the words of invitation
were never spoken。
At supper； sun…dried flesh； cabbage； and a savory dish the
travellers returned to with gusto。 Staines asked what it was： the
vrow told himlocusts。 They had stripped her garden； and filled
her very rooms； and fallen in heaps under her walls； so she had
pressed them； by the million； into cakes； had salted them lightly；
and stored them； and they were excellent； baked。
After supper； the accomplished Reginald； observing a wire guitar；
tuned it with some difficulty； and so twanged it； and sang ditties
to it； that the flabby giant's pasty face wore a look of dreamy
content over his everlasting pipe； and in the morning； after a
silent breakfast； he said； 〃Mine vriends； stay here a year or two；
and rake in mine rubbish。 Ven you are tired； here are springbok
and antelopes； and you can shoot mit your rifles； and ve vil cook
them； and you shall zing us zongs of Vaderland。〃
They thanked him heartily； and said they would stay a few days； at
all events。
The placid Boer went a…farming； and the pair shouldered their pick
and shovel； and worked on their heap all day； and found a number of
pretty stones； but no diamond。
〃Come；〃 said Falcon； 〃we must go to the river；〃 and Staines
acquiesced。 〃I bow to experience；〃 said he。
At the threshold they found two of the little Bulteels； playing
with pieces of quartz； crystal； etc。； on the door…stone。 One of
these stones caught Staines's eye directly。 It sparkled in a
different way from the others： he examined it： it was the size of a
white haricot bean； and one side of it polished by friction。 He
looked at it； and looked； and saw that it refracted the light。 He
felt convinced it was a diamond。
〃Give the boy a penny for it；〃 said the ingenious Falcon； on
receiving the information。
〃Oh！〃 said Staines。 〃Take advantage of a child？〃
He borrowed it of the boy； and laid it on the table； after supper。
〃Sir；〃 said he； 〃this is what we were raking in your kopjes for；
and could not find it。 It belongs to little Hans。 Will you sell
it us？ We are not experts； but we think it may be a diamond。 We
will risk ten pounds on it。〃
〃Ten pounds！〃 said the farmer。 〃Nay； we rob not travellers； mine
vriend。〃
〃But if it is a diamond； it is worth a hundred。 See how it gains
fire in the dusk。〃
In short； they forced the ten pounds on him； and next day went to
work on another kopje。
But the simple farmer's conscience smote him。 It was a slack time；
so he sent four Hotteatots； with shovels； to help these friendly
maniacs。 These worked away gayly； and the white men set up a
sorting table； and sorted the stuff； and hammered the nodules； and
at last found a little stone as big as a pea that refracted the
light。 Staines showed this to the Hottentots； and their quick eyes
discovered two more that day； only smaller。
Next day； nothing but a splinter or two。
Then Staines determined to dig deeper； contrary to the general
impression。 He gave his reason： 〃Diamonds don't fall from the sky。
They work up from the ground； and clearly the heat must be greater
farther down。〃
Acting on this； they tried the next strata； but found it entirely
barren。 After that； however； they came to a fresh layer of
carbonate； and here； Falcon hammering a large lump of conglomerate；
out leaped； all of a sudden； a diamond big as a nut； that ran along
the earth； gleaming like a star。 It had polished angles and
natural facets； and even a novice； with an eye in his head； could
see it was a diamond of the purest water。 Staines and Falcon
shouted with delight； and made the blacks a present on the spot。
They showed the prize； at night； and begged the farmer to take to
digging。 There was ten times more money beneath his soil than on
it。
Not he。 He was a farmer： did not believe in diamonds。 Two days
afterwards； another great find。 Seven small diamonds。
Next day； a stone as large as a cob…nut； and with strange and
beautiful streaks。 They carried it home to dinner； and set it on
the table； and told the family it was worth a thousand pounds。
Bulteel scarcely looked at it； but the vrow trembled and all the
young folk glowered at it。
In the middle of dinner； it exploded like a cracker； and went
literally into diamond…dust。
〃Dere goes von tousand pounds；〃 said Bulteel； without moving a
muscle。
Falcon swore。 But Staines showed fortitude。 〃It was laminated；〃
said he； 〃and exposure to the air was fatal。〃
Owing to the invaluable assistance of the Hottentots； they had in
less than a month collected four large stones of pure water； and a
wineglassful of small stones； when； one fine day； going to work
calmly after breakfast； they found some tents pitched； and at least
a score of dirty diggers； bearded like the pard； at work on the
ground。 Staines sent Falcon back to tell Bulteel； and suggest that
he should at once order them off； or； better still； make terms with
them。 The phlegmatic Boer did neither。
In twenty…four hours it was too late。 The place was rushed。 In
other words； diggers swarmed to the spot； with no idea of law but
digger's law。
A thousand tents rose like mushrooms； and poor Bulteel stood
smoking； and staring amazed； at his own door； and saw a veritable
procession of wagons； Cape carts； and powdered travellers file past
him to take possession of his hillocks。 Him； the proprietor； they
simply ignored； they had a committee who were to deal with all
obstructions； landlords and tenants included。 They themselves
measured out Bulteel's farm into thirty…foot claims； and went to
work with shovel and pick。 They held Staines's claim sacredthat
was diggers' law； but they confined it strictly to thirty feet
square。
Had the friends resisted； their brains would have been knocked out。
However； they gained this； that dealers poured in； and the market
not being yet glutted； the price was good。 Staines sold a few of
the small stones for two hundred pounds。 He showed one of the
larger stones。 The dealer's eye glittered； but he offered only
three hundred pounds； and this was so wide of the ascending scale；
on which a stone of that importance is priced； that Staines
reserved it for sale at Cape Town。
Nevertheless； he afterwards doubted whether he had not better have
taken it； for the multitude of diggers turned out such a prodigious
number of diamonds at Bulteel's pan； that a sort of panic fell on
the market。
These dry diggings were a revelation to the world。 Men began to
think the diamond perhaps was a commoner stone than any one had
dreamed it to be。
As to the discovery of stones； Staines and Falcon lost nothing by
being confined to a thirty…foot claim。 Compelled to dig deeper；
they got into a rich strata； where they found garnets by the pint；
and some small diamonds； and at last； one lucky day； their largest
diamond。 It weighed thirty…seven carats； and was a rich yellow。
Now； when a diamond is clouded or off color； it is terribly
depreciated； but a diamond with a positive color is called a fancy
stone； and ranks with the purest stones。
〃I wish I had this in Cape Town；〃 said Staines。
〃Why； I'll take it to Cape Town； if you like；〃 said the changeable
Falcon。
〃You will？〃 said Christopher； surprised。
〃Why not？ I'm not much of a digger。 I can serve our interest
better by selling。 I could get a thousand pounds for this at Cape
Town。〃
〃We will talk of that quietly；〃 said Christopher。
Now； the fact is； Falcon； as a digger； was not worth a pin。 He
could not sort。 His eyes would not bear the blinding glare of a
tropical sun upon lime and dazzling bits of mica； quartz； crystal；
white topaz； etc。； in the midst of which the true glint of the
royal stone had to be caught in a moment。 He could not sort； and
he had not the heart to dig。 The only way to make him earn h