After a long day of panning at Pitch-pine Billy’s claim, Jack and Praiseworthy find themselves richer by a “thimbleful” of gold. Intoxicated by his new pastime, Jack asks if they can buy a tent, so they can camp out by the creek like seasoned miners. Praiseworthy agrees, and as him and Jack walk side-by-side, equally dirty, barefoot, and exhausted, Jack has never felt so close to the butler.

Jack asks Praiseworthy if Arabella knows he took her portrait with him. The butler doesn’t answer directly, saying that he meant to give the picture to Jack. The latter, annoyed by this evasion, presses on, asking why Arabella hasn’t married. Jack’s sister Constance told him that Arabella was once in love, but that the man died. Praiseworthy says that Constance should be “spanked” for saying such things. He tries to change the subject, but Jack persists, claiming that Arabella would probably marry him if he asked. Praiseworthy seems “struck,” then scoffs at the idea of his employer marrying someone other than a gentleman of her own class, let alone a butler: “It simply isn’t done […] Why, your dear aunt would be laughed out of Boston” (132).