The Gold Hunters' Adventures Part 43

"Of course they are; see that fellow sitting on his tail near you. He is almost as large as a native, and were it not for showing the black devils our position I would knock him over, and we would have fresh steaks for breakfast."

"But I supposed that the kangaroo was a very wild animal," Fred said, joining in the conversation.

"So they are; but in the night time I have known them to mingle with horses and not leave until daylight. They appear to have a remarkable attachment for horses; and a man riding over a prairie can approach them within a few rods without exciting suspicions."

I was listening attentively to Smith, but still I kept an eye on our visitors, and noticed that they gradually lessened their distance between us, and were so near that they could not fail to note our positions.

"Do kangaroos usually carry spears in their paws?" I asked of Smith, in a whisper.

"What do you mean?" he demanded.

"I mean that instead of animals we have natives to deal with, and in another moment our throats would have been cut by the sly scamps."

I s.n.a.t.c.hed up my rifle, and hardly waiting to place it at my shoulder, fired.

The kangaroo, alias a native sewed up in a skin, sprang towards me, but with a yell of agony fell dead at my feet.

I seized my revolver, but before I could use it Fred's rifle and Smith's double-barrelled gun answered my lead, and two more natives were bleeding upon the field.

The smoke slowly drifted past, but no more live kangaroos were to be seen.

I looked for Rover, but he had disappeared during the firing, and he did not return for ten minutes, when by his panting I knew that he had pursued the natives to the bushes, but what other damage he had done the latter only knew.

"We shall rest in peace for the remainder of the night," Smith said, "that is, provided any one can get rest with so many blasted bugs buzzing in the air. The natives will not make a second attack upon us, you may be a.s.sured."

Smith's words were found to be correct, for, when daylight appeared, a flag of truce was sent to our camp, and an old native demanded permission to remove the bodies of his fallen friends. We gave a willing consent on condition that we were allowed to pa.s.s on our way without further molestation; and after accepting our terms, we detained the old fellow as a hostage until we were safe from their ambush, when we dismissed him with a number of presents, and he returned to his camp apparently delighted at his treatment.

We urged our cattle to their utmost exertions, and at sundown we were in sight of the old convict's hut, and in close proximity to the buried gold.

CHAPTER XXIII.

ARRIVAL AT THE OLD STOCKMAN'S HUT.--MYSTERIOUS INTERRUPTIONS DURING THE HUNT.

As we drew near the hut which had withstood so hot an a.s.sault from the gang of Jim Gulpin, we saw that its proprietor was seated before his door, busily engaged in reading a book, in which he appeared deeply interested, for he never raised his eyes until Rover, who recognized him, thrust his cold nose on his hand and demanded a welcome.

The old man looked surprised, dropped his book, and then apparently comprehended that we must be near, for he glanced eagerly round, and when his eyes fell upon Smith, he started towards us at a brisk pace, and in a few minutes the two were shaking hands like friends who had been separated for months and years.

"But where are your companions? Where are the two generous Americans who fought so bravely when I revenged my daughter's injuries? demanded the old man, who did not recognize us, dressed as we were in a respectable-looking thin suit of clothes, and with our beards shaven off.

"O," answered Smith, carelessly, "they became infatuated with the pleasures of Melbourne, and have remained behind."

"And our pardons?" asked the stockman, after a moment's silence, during which we could see that he was struggling for fort.i.tude and composure.

"Here," exclaimed Fred, "a free and unconditional pardon is granted to convict No. 2921, subject only to the approval of the Home office, for distinguis.h.i.+ng himself in an encounter with a gang of desperate bushrangers."

The old man knew his voice, and tears, which he had before suppressed, now flowed freely. He grasped Fred's hands and pressed them convulsively, and then fell upon me and nearly smothered me with his embrace.

"Read it again," he cried, handing the pardon to Fred. "Let me once more be a.s.sured that I am a free man."

Fred complied with his request, and was about to inquire concerning his daughter, when she made her appearance at the door of the hut, and appeared to be slightly astonished at seeing her father conversing with strangers.

"Come here, Becky," he cried, "I have news for you--great news."

Followed by the hound, who had sought her out a few moments before, she came to meet us; and being a more acute observer than her parent, she readily recognized us in spite of our change of costume.

"Here, Becky," cried the old man, with childish eagerness, "read that doc.u.ment that his excellency the governor has sent me. I am a free man, Becky--a free man, and can travel to any part of the island, and not a soldier or police officer can harm me, or lay the weight of his hand upon me, and ask why I leave my flocks without permission. I shall yet be rich, and instead of tending sheep I will own them, and have shepherds who will look to me for orders. I'll not be known as the shepherd convict, but the rich landed proprietor. O, I will show you, Becky, if it pleases G.o.d, how I will work, and you shall be a lady, and no longer dress in cheap stuff, but wear silks, and be waited upon. I know a thing or two which you little suspect."

"I am contented as I am, if I can but be near you, father," she answered, trying to check the old man's sudden energy.

"I know, I know; but we must bide our time, and remain poor for the present, Becky--only for the present."

"Perhaps our visitors would like supper," the young woman suggested, in hopes of turning the conversation.

"By all means; they shall have the best that we can give," replied the stockman, emerging from his deep reverie, and playing the host to perfection. "Cook them the hind quarter of the lamb I killed to-day, and add whatever else you may have in the house."

"But we object to that," said Fred. "We did not come here to rob you of your provisions, and while we have a full supply will not trespa.s.s upon your store. It is you whom we invite to share our supper. Recollect we are just from Melbourne, and have a rare quality of tea in our cart which we want you and your daughter to test."

"There surely can be no harm in accepting of your offer," replied the old man, musingly. "When I am rich, it will of course be a different thing--then you can partake of my hospitality."

"If we proposed to you to help us to wealth, what answer should you return?" Fred asked of the convict.

"The answer of a grateful, honest man. Show me that the means to get the wealth are honest, and I will work without complaining, for months, and when you are satisfied with your share of worldly goods, I will seek to get mine," returned the old man, promptly.

"Then we ask your aid for the s.p.a.ce of a few days. In yonder forest, a treasure is buried, and we expect that some work is required to find it.

Will you aid us?"

"With all my heart," replied the stockman, without a moment's hesitation. "I am under too great an obligation to you, gentlemen, to refuse a.s.sistance in so small a matter. When shall we start?"

"To-morrow morning, at daylight. Time is precious to us until we find the treasure."

"I hope you will not be disappointed in your search," returned the old man, apparently restored to his usual clear-headedness with the prospect of something to do. "A secret like Gulpin's must have been known or suspected by others beside his band. For a few days past I have seen strange men wandering around the edge of the wood, although they did not appear to be regular bushrangers. They may have the same object in view as yourselves, but without your knowledge of the locality of the gold.

"If they are bushrangers we will fight them, but if honest people in search of the treasure, we will laugh at them for their pains, and ridicule them for their trouble," the old man continued. "I see that Smith and my daughter have managed to get something to eat. Suppose we have supper first, and discuss the best means of accomplis.h.i.+ng your ends afterwards?"

"By the way, we forget to tell you that your share of money, for the capture of bushrangers, is awaiting your order," Fred said, during supper, speaking to the stockman.

"I feel content with the paper which contains my pardon, and think that I am amply rewarded. I desire nothing more from government."

Finding that the subject was distasteful to the old man, we said no more, but after the table was cleared away, we lighted our pipes and planned the business which was to occupy us early the next morning. Our arrangements were soon completed and agreed upon. We readily came to the conclusion to unload all of our baggage excepting what we should want while absent; and instead of taking eight oxen, we concluded to take only four, as that number could be provided for much easier than all of them. We also concluded to leave our horses, and let the old man's daughter keep her eyes on them during the day, and confine them in the enclosure which was used for herding sheep during the night.

With this idea, we began making our preparations for an early start. Our shovels and pickaxes were articles which we should want in digging, and three days' provisions were also placed upon the cart, together with our bedding and mosquito bars to prevent the insects from eating us alive during our sleeping hours.

Our rifles were also examined, and at length satisfied that we were ready for an early start, we bid our host and daughter good night and retired to our usual sleeping place, under the cart, with Rover at our feet, ready to give notice of the slightest appearance of danger.