262 MARTIN RATTLER.

“*Six hundred mil-reis, answered the Nayeur.

“This was about equal to one hundred and eighty
pounds stirling. Without more words about it, he
paid down the money, and the slave went away.
Juiz lost his sleep that night. He went and tould
the neighbours he had forgot a piece of important
business in Rio and must go back at wance. So
back he went, and stayed some time in the city,
tryin’ to git his dimond safely sold; for it was sich
a big wan that he feared the government fellows
might hear o’t, in which case he would have got tin
years’ transportation to Angola on the coast of Africa.
At last, however, he got rid of it for twenty thousand
mil-reis, which is about six thousand pounds. It was
all paid to him in hard dollars, and he nearly went
out o’ his wits for joy. But he was brought down a
peg nixt day, when he found that the same di’mond
was sold for nearly twice as much as he had got for
it. Howiver, he had made a pretty considerable
fortin; an’ he’s now the richest dimond and gould
merchant in the district.”

“A lucky fellow certainly,” said Martin. “But I
must say I have no taste for such chance work; so
I’m quite ready to start for the sea-coast whenever it
suits the Baron Fagoni’s convenience.”

While they were speaking they were attracted by