They returned again the next morning, this time with small spades hidden away beneath their gear. In the days since they had first reached the village, Huxley's attire had gradually evolved from the proper sweat-stained suit of the gentleman-explorer to looser, more rugged clothing unbecoming of a man with his supposed status, yet in a place where traditional status held no bearing, utilitarian comfort reigned supreme. Both he and Akan wore flowing shirts that had been thoroughly dulled from their initial bright whites, and though they were mostly open, exposing their skin to the swarms of insects that patrolled the jungle and the shore of the lake, they vastly preferred taking their chances over the possibility of collapse due to overheated exhaustion. They kept torches lit and stuck in the mud surrounding their respective work spaces, hoping that the flame would either keep the pests occupied or drive them away, and for the most part, this worked.
Their packs were light and stuffed with empty canvas sacks they hoped to fill with the precious black diamonds they recovered from the mud. In all their preparations, they took great care to hide all true intentions from the rest of their party, which lingered around their camp waiting for anything to happen, and the villagers, including the lovely Virginia Pear, who seemed particularly interested in Huxley's work.
With spades in hand, they began digging through the mud, staining the knees of their trousers while tunneling deeper within the earth in search of gems, which they found in greater number and size mere feet below.
"Look at this," said Akan, marveling at the contents of his canvas sack, the bottom of which was now completely covered in dark diamonds. "Didn't I tell you? I knew we'd find more here. Lots and lots."
Huxley said nothing in reply. Instead, he simply kept on working, shoveling spadefuls of soggy earth onto a single pile.
"Huxley?"
"Yes?"
"Are you all right?"
"Yes, of course. I'm afraid my mind is elsewhere."
"You aren't thinking about the girl again, are you?"
"No, no. Not that. I'm simply deciding in advance upon what to spend my forthcoming fortune."
"And? Have you any ideas yet?"
"Travel, I thought," said Huxley.
"Travel? That's all we've ever done! Huxley, in the past ten years, we've barely been home at all. Our traveling days are over--no more stealing, no more scamming. Finally, we can retire and do all the things we've ever dreamed about!"
"There lies the problem: I don't dream about anything. Not a single thing. All I've ever wanted, I've found on the road with you. I'm not a man for settling down, Akan. I've no wish to start a family or run a business, no great longing to sit and read a book and eat a normal breakfast in a normal house. That isn't the sort of life for me."
Akan shook his head and went back to shoveling, scooping a fresh layer of mud from the ground and then crouching down to sort through the loosened remains.
"I'll never understand you, you know. You may feel a lost soul now, Huxley, but once we return home, women falling at our feet, opportunities opening up to us, you may yet change your mind."
"Maybe," said Huxley. "I suppose we'll have to wait and see."
Their packs were light and stuffed with empty canvas sacks they hoped to fill with the precious black diamonds they recovered from the mud. In all their preparations, they took great care to hide all true intentions from the rest of their party, which lingered around their camp waiting for anything to happen, and the villagers, including the lovely Virginia Pear, who seemed particularly interested in Huxley's work.
With spades in hand, they began digging through the mud, staining the knees of their trousers while tunneling deeper within the earth in search of gems, which they found in greater number and size mere feet below.
"Look at this," said Akan, marveling at the contents of his canvas sack, the bottom of which was now completely covered in dark diamonds. "Didn't I tell you? I knew we'd find more here. Lots and lots."
Huxley said nothing in reply. Instead, he simply kept on working, shoveling spadefuls of soggy earth onto a single pile.
"Huxley?"
"Yes?"
"Are you all right?"
"Yes, of course. I'm afraid my mind is elsewhere."
"You aren't thinking about the girl again, are you?"
"No, no. Not that. I'm simply deciding in advance upon what to spend my forthcoming fortune."
"And? Have you any ideas yet?"
"Travel, I thought," said Huxley.
"Travel? That's all we've ever done! Huxley, in the past ten years, we've barely been home at all. Our traveling days are over--no more stealing, no more scamming. Finally, we can retire and do all the things we've ever dreamed about!"
"There lies the problem: I don't dream about anything. Not a single thing. All I've ever wanted, I've found on the road with you. I'm not a man for settling down, Akan. I've no wish to start a family or run a business, no great longing to sit and read a book and eat a normal breakfast in a normal house. That isn't the sort of life for me."
Akan shook his head and went back to shoveling, scooping a fresh layer of mud from the ground and then crouching down to sort through the loosened remains.
"I'll never understand you, you know. You may feel a lost soul now, Huxley, but once we return home, women falling at our feet, opportunities opening up to us, you may yet change your mind."
"Maybe," said Huxley. "I suppose we'll have to wait and see."
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