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Show 106 PERSONAL ADVENTURES drawino· her chair nearer to Flector, who sat 0 oTinnincr in evident satisfaction at the admi· 0 0 ration he had inspired. " Why, this takes the shine out of them all " said Stevenson; ''but you were born luc'k y, I-Iector. Had I done what you did, in running away from the Southampton, and carrying off one of her ...... " "Hush! Massa Stevenson," interrupted the black, wriggling uneasily on his seat, and casting anxious glances around him ; '' de less we say about dat de better." "You need not be alarmed, my good fel· low; we are all friends here. I was only going to say, that if I had been in your place, I would have been kicking my heels in irons, and doing penance for n1y sins on bread and water, instead of looking sleek and hearty, and having lots of tin to spend. There is truth in the proverb, that luck is better than brains," added he, bitterly. " Ay, ay; dere's someting in luck. But you ain't heerd all." "Let us have the rest, then, Hector; and IN CALIFORNIA. 107 here's a drop of liquor, to clear away the cobwebs from your throat." " De most astonishingest piece of de hisness are a comin'," continued the nigO'er. "I war .cli~bin' up a hill, one moonshin~ night, to git him a little more firewood, an' a lookin ' about for sticks, I see someting a shinin' in de grass. I make a grab at him, tinkin' it war a big lump ob goold. Whenebber I feeled him, him like a stone; and whenebber I looked at him, I couldn't tell what the divil he war. Well, I fetch him back to the camp, an' I keep him till I get to Pibblo, [Pueblo J where I show him to Captin Demmick; an' what you tink he told me him \-Var ?" "Oh, I can't tell. What was ·it?" said Stevenson. "G0 0 d graci·o us ! what was it?'' echoed his helpmate, in growing excitement. "A dimond ob de fust . ·water,'' replied Hector, grandly. "Is I. t possible ! " exclaimed my friend and his wife, in chorus. "Well' I· t ai·n ' t no less," resumed the negro. |