In the low country, everything seemed to be bustling with people. It was filled with people going this way and that. The shops were open and people looked inside windows to see what new items to buy.

"For you, sir, I could get down to two guineas an 'ead," Adam said as chased down Jack. They pushed through the crowd, trying to get to the train that was just arriving.

"That's kind of you," Jack said, though he clearly wasn't interested.

"Good luck." A man passing by said, patting Jack's shoulder.

"Thank you." Jack nodded, continuing to the train.

"Tell you what, sir. Pounds." Adam continued.

Jack stopped, grabbing onto Adam's shoulder. "I've got other things on my mind today." He smiled. This made Kristoff stop in his tracks. He had come down from the high country to find a job down here. And this had caught his attention.

"Damn Yankee," Adam said, watching Jack nearly skip away.

"Who is that?" Kristoff asked once Jack was out of earshot.

"Jackson Harrison," Adam answered. "He'll be getting his colt. They say it's worth a thousand pounds."

This took Kristoff by surprise. He snapped his head, turning to look Adam in the eyes. "A colt worth a thousand pounds?"

Adams shrugged his shoulder as the train came to a stop. The brakes screeched to a halt as people gathered around at the station. Everyone was excited to get their new items. The train only comes twice a month.

"Mr. Haddock!" Jack called out as a man exited the train. Jack rushed to the man, shaking his hand. "Listen, I'm sorry about this blasted circus." He said, gesturing to everyone gathered around.

"Oh, anything to get me away from the city." Mr. Haddock replied, lightly laughing. "Especially when it's to bring you the finest colt in the colony."

"Well, he should be, for the price." Jack said. Both men laughed as they walked with the crowd of people. "Old Regret. The last colt she foaled." Jack explained. He slapped his hands together. "Irreplaceable."

A group of men opened the doors on the train. They laid out a nice walkway, leading the colt out of the compartment. Just by the way it walked, you could tell it was worth a lot of money. Its black coat glimmered in the bright sunlight.

A dog began to bark at the animal, frightening it. The colt began to nicker, trying to get away from the dog and the crowd. The crowd backed away as the colt went onto its hind legs, beginning to kick. The dog continued to bark.

The crowd began to murmur as the horse began to trot in a circle, kicking its hind legs. It loudly whinnied, making the crowd scream in horror. Mothers grabbed onto their children and husbands pushed them behind them.

Kristoff knew what he had to do. He rushed to the front, grabbing onto the rope. "Let go, mate." He said. But whoever was holding the rope wouldn't do it. "Let bloody go!" He demanded, shoving them to the ground.

The crowd gasped as the person fell on their face. Jackson rushed over there as Kristoff calmed down the colt. The crowd began to chatter, talking about what just happened. "Are you alright, Anna?" Jackson asked, helping her up.

She panted, brushing her red hair out of her face. "If I needed your help, mate, I would have asked for it." She snapped, glaring at Kristoff who was now walking the calmer colt.

Kristoff looked back at her, slightly admiring her. He looked back at the colt, trying to calm it. "Whoa. Whoa. Easy, boy."

Jackson smiled, patting Anna's back and walking to Kristoff. The colt whinnied again, trying to break free, but couldn't. "Whoa." Kristoff calmly spoke. Jackson carefully took the reins from Kristoff and began to lead the colt away. Anna quickly followed after him.

Soon, everyone seemed to forget about the incident and went about their day. "Well, I think we're all indebted to young Mr.-" Mr. Haddock trailed.

"Bjorgman. Kristoff Bjorgman." Kristoff smiled, holding out his hand.

"Hiccup Haddock." He nodded, taking Kristoff's hand. "And that was, uh, Mr. Harrison and his charming daughter Anna."

"Hmm. Charming." Kristoff repeated, slightly scoffing. She was far from. "Are you a stock agent, Mr. Haddock?" Kristoff asked.

"No. As a matter of fact, I'm a lawyer, Kristoff. How about you?"

"I've just arrived in town," Kristoff replied.

"Well, thanks again, Kristoff." Hiccup smiled, shaking Kristoff's hand one more time. "If ever we can return the favor, let us know."

"I'm looking for work, sir." Kristoff immediately replied before Hiccup could run away. This might be his chance to get a good job to earn some money to get his house back. He was going to earn his respect to live up in the mountains.

"Well, these are hard times, Kristoff." Hiccup replied, slightly frowning.

"I know that, but I've got a place to keep up," Kristoff said, hoping he could land a job. Hiccup hummed, studying Kristoff. "I've lived on the land all of my life, so I can turn my hand to almost anything. And I've got a good stock horse."

"Have you now?" Hiccup chuckled. "Well, in that case, I suppose we'd better try and find you work then. I'll give you a letter."

Kristoff could hardly keep the smile off of his face.

xxx

"I know it's hidden under your skirt somewhere." Eugene declared as he walked through his mine. He let out a light chuckle as the timbers holding the dirt up groaned. The ground rumbled and a patch of dirt fell onto his face from above.

He gripped the walls, squeezing his eyes. "Ya damned old trollop." He cursed.

He began walking around, studying the walls of the mine. "Twenty years," he began. "You seduce a man with a speck of gold dust. Then you tempt him with a trace of color." He said, picking up a metal bucket.

"Nothin' but a harlot." He added, hobbling out of the mine.

The timber continued to creak behind him as he dumped another bucket full of dirt into a wheelbarrow. He chucked down his empty bucket and looked back at his mine. "Just like a woman." He said as he grabbed the wheelbarrow and began to walk. "Has to have the last word." He chuckled.

A horse blustered a few feet away, making Eugene suspicious. He slowly backed away and grabbed his gun laying against the rock wall. He picked up, looking around. Rocks above him crumbled to the ground. He looked up and scowled. "How'd you find this place?" He asked.

"I tracked you." The man answered. He then laughed, his thumbs locked in his belt loops. "You silly old galah. You leave a trail like a one-legged seed drill."

"Damn you, John. Always sneakin' around." Eugene cursed, holding up his gun at John Smith. "No noise." He added, hobbling to the entrance of the mine.

"I heard noise," John said. "I heard voices." He grinned.

"Aha!" Eugene smiled. "Sure sign of old age, when you start hearing things." He teased, laughing. He turned back around, closing up the mine. He didn't want anyone to find this secret place. Thankfully, John was a close friend.

"You and your partner still searching for El Dorado then?" John asked, watching Eugene below.

Eugene let out a small sigh. "Silent partner now," Eugene said. He turned around, looking at John over his shoulder. "Henry Bjorgman's dead."

John looked to the ground, slightly frowning. "I'm sorry to hear that."

"Yeah," Eugene replied. "Just when good color was showin' too." He grumbled. It really was a shame that Henry had died. The place seemed lonelier without him around. His good jokes and pleasant company were now gone. But at least Kristoff was still around.

"You been saying that for near 20 years." John pointed out.

"You know, the only way to shut that mouth is with some food," Eugene said. "Come on." He encouraged, waving for John to follow.

"Been offering me food for 20 years too," John said. Eugene paused, looking back at John again. "All I ever get's wallaby stew."

"Bandicoot," Eugene muttered under his breath and he hobbled away, making John laugh.

xxx

Kristoff rode up to a large ranch. Cattle were being driven from one end to other. It looked like his type of job. Riding and moving cattle. It looked simple enough.

The first place he went was to the owner. He hoped Jackson remembered earlier today, well, minus the part with him pushing over Anna. Maybe Jackson could push that aside and hire him anyway. Soon, he found Jackson and he handed him the letter written by Mr. Haddock. "Mountain boy?" Jackson asked.

"That's right, sir." Kristoff nodded, standing proudly beside Sven.

Jackson nodded his head. "Hans! Cut the heifer out." He called out. He hopped off his horse then stood next to Kristoff. "I'll give you a try. Usual wages and keep. Make yourself known to the foreman."

"Thank you, sir." Kristoff smiled. This was going to be a whole new start.

xxx

"Tasty, huh?" Eugene asked.

"In a toxic, festering sort of way," John replied back. He raised another spoonful to his mouth. "You should advertise this stuff in The Bulletin." He said. "The new miracle cure for appetite."

Eugene shook his head. "Boy, to think I was gonna leave you a share of the mine."

John patted Eugene's shoulder as he poured him another mug of coffee. "Thanks, mate, but I have my own rainbows to chase."

"Yeah, John's vision splendid." Eugene chuckled. "You still obsessed with those sunlit plains? Huh?"

"At least I get to see the sun and the stars," John said. "It's better than blundering around in a black hole looking for something that isn't there."

"Isn't there?" Eugene repeated. He stood up, throwing his full mug of coffee at the ground. "Now, you wait right here. I'll show you." He said. "Blundering around in the dark, am I?" He continued as he rushed into his house.

He ran to the back wall and grabbed a bottle. "Well, wait'll you see this." He chuckled. "Come here."

John stood up, meeting Eugene at the entrance of the house. "Take a look at this."

They stood beside a barrel. Eugene popped the cork off and poured the contents onto the barrel, using it as a table. "Now, that's the kind of color I've been getting lately."

Eugene picked up a piece, admiring it as John hummed. "It's not much to show for 20 years," John said. "You must have dug a trench all the way from California to southern Australia."

"That's much better than anything I ever saw up there in '49," Eugene argued, showing him a piece of gold. He shoved it back into the bottle. "Now, I put a straight drive through for 30 chains. Now I go down, sink a shaft, and we're smack on top of the richest vein." He explained, hitting the barrel.

"Who's 'we', Gene?" John asked.

"Well, Henry Bjorgman's boy. You remember young Kristoff."

John slightly nodded his head, a picture of the boy vague in his mind. "Yeah, the lad doesn't know it yet, but he inherits his father's share, no matter what it is," Eugene said as he picked up the gold chucks and put them in his bottle.

~~~~~~~~~~
WOOOOOOOHHHOOOOO ANOTHER UPDATE!!