The remote, indwelling expression went out of his eyes as he boomed
“Why, its size.”
“It does seem large,” I admitted. “But there’s no doubt it’s authentic. The Australian Government would scarcely dare—”
“Large!” he interrupted, with a sniff and a sneer.
“Largest ever discovered—” I started on.
“Ever discovered!” His dim eyes smouldered hotly as he proceeded. “Do you think that every lump of gold ever discovered has got into the newspapers and encyclopedias?”
“Well,” I replied judicially, “if there’s one that hasn’t, I don’t see how we’re to know about it. If a really big nugget, or nugget-finder, elects to blush unseen—”
“But it didn’t,” he broke in quickly. “I saw it with my own eyes, and, besides, I’m too tanned to blush anyway. I’m a railroad man and I’ve been in the tropics a lot. Why, I used to be the colour of mahogany—real old mahogany, and have been taken for a blue-eyed Spaniard more than once—”
It was my turn to interrupt, and I did.
“Was that nugget bigger than those in there, Mr.—er—?”