He bubbled with enthusiasms, and his faintest smile or lightest laugh seemed spontaneous and genuine.

But it was only occasionally at first that he spoke, for Von Blix told their story and stated their errand.
They were on a gold-hunting expedition.

He was the leader, and Tudor was his lieutenant.

All hands--and there were twenty-eight--were shareholders, in varying proportions, in the adventure.

Several were sailors, but the large majority were miners, culled from all the camps from Mexico to the Arctic Ocean.