The Gold Hunters' Adventures Part 46

"Vell, the fact of the matter is, I am strolling round 'ere just for the fun of shooting parrots."

"You know that you are lying," Fred said, sternly.

The fellow seemed to think a compliment had been paid him, for he grinned so hard that the dirt actually cracked on his face and peeled off in scales. A motion towards our rifles brought him to his reason.

"Stop that," he cried, "and I'll tell hall."

"Go on," we repeated.

"Vell, then, I s'pose I'm 'ere for the same thing as vot you're here for."

"Well, what is that?" I asked.

"Vy, you know--the hold boy's tin vich he buried afore he vas taken up and dished."

"What do you mean?" I inquired, wis.h.i.+ng to see how much he knew.

"O, don't 'tempt to gammon me, 'case I knows by the way that yer does--that yer knows all 'bout the trick. But I say, can't I come in for shooks?"

"Then you know that there is money buried near here?"

"Hof course I does. Didn't I see Jim Gulpin ven he planted it, and didn't I run hoff the next day, and ven I hears that Jim is a goner, and had got into the hands of the beaks, didn't I leave the mines, vere the vork is jolly 'ard, and come 'ere with the intention of raising it, and having a jolly good blow out at Melbourne?"

"Then you have been connected with a gang of bushrangers?" Fred asked.

"Vell, I did use to do the cookin' for 'em, vile they did the robbin'; but then you wouldn't blow on a fellow, would you?"

"What did you make a target of my body for?" I inquired.

"Vell, I vill be plain, and no mistake. I did think that if it killed von of ye, vy the rest vould run, and then I should be left alone to ring the blunt."

"And why did you not continue to fire at us?"

"'Cos I hadn't got any more bullets," was the frank answer; and on examination of his powder pouch, we found such to be the case.

"What have you done with your ammunition?"

"Vell, I had to live on something, so I used to shoot into flocks of parrots; but I've skeered 'em all hoff, I believe."

"And why did you not try to get hold of a sheep? There are plenty of those within five miles of the forest."

"And get pinked by the hold shepherd wid the long gun?" he demanded, with a knowing grin, which showed that he had heard of the skill of the old man with his smooth bore.

"You have confessed that you once belonged to a gang of bushrangers, and you may have been guilty of many crimes. It is a duty which we owe to the government to either hang you, or else deliver you to the police.

Which do you prefer?"

"Vell, to tell the plain truth, I don't like neither plan, and I don't b'leeve that you will do it."

"Why?" we asked, astonished at his a.s.surance

"'Cos, then I couldn't help you get the dirt out if you give me up to the police. I'd peach 'bout it," and then you'd have to fork over to the government, and would get nothing for your pains."

"But suppose we should despatch you on the spot?"

"But there's no use s'posing any thing of the kind. 'Mericans don't often kill people in cold blood."

"You know that we are Americans?" we demanded, in astonishment.

"Of course I does. Didn't I 'ear all about ye vile I vas at the mines?

Didn't the papers bring hus the news?"

"But how do you know that we are those which the papers mention?"

"'Cos I guess at it, and I don't think I'm a great deal hout of the way."

"And if we consent to spare your life you will consent to lend us your aid in searching for the gold?" I asked. "Won't I? You just try me and see if I don't serve you 'bout right. I'm a regular hout and houter ven I takes a likin' to any one."

"On these conditions we will consent to protect and spare you. But mind, no tricks. The first indications which we discover of your playing us false, shall be your last moment on earth."

"All right," replied the long-legged individual, with a chuckle of delight.

"Now, tell us what your name is," Fred demanded.

"Steel Spring," he answered, with another grin.

"Then, Mr. Steel Spring, as you say that you are a good cook, we will test your truthfulness. Return with us to the cart, and let us see a sample of your skill."

"I'll do that, and you'll say that, however ugly I look, I'm just the feller to sarve as a cook."

Uttering these words in a chanting sort of way, Mr. Steel Spring stretched out his legs with a jerk, which resembled the sudden opening of a jackknife. He stood upon his feet, and then we had an opportunity to see how long and lank he really was; and yet beneath all his withered skin we saw that his muscles were of prodigious size, and that his strength must he astonis.h.i.+ng.

We motioned for him to lead the way, and in a few moments we reached the cart, beneath which the old stockman was still snoring.

CHAPTER XXV.

STEEL SPRING'S HISTORY

Steel Spring made no idle boast when he said he was famous as a cook. In a shorter s.p.a.ce of time than I conceived possible, he had built a fire, boiled water, and made an excellent dish of coffee, and then spreading our provisions under the shade of a tree, he informed us that our dinners were ready.

By this time Hardum, the stockman, was awake, and repentant, as most men usually are after a drinking bout. He seemed surprised that we had made an addition to our company during his snoring hours, but he was too proud, or too much ashamed, to ask any questions concerning the mystery.

As for Steel Spring, I observed that that amiable, long-legged individual eyed the stockman rather narrowly, as though he expected a few words of reproach, or something worse; but in this he was mistaken; for Hardum contented himself with expressing surprise at the length of his pedal extremities, and wanted to know if he was not sired by a kangaroo--an expression which our new acquaintance laughed at, as he wished to conciliate the old man.

As the sun poured down with scorching severity, and two hours would elapse before we could venture to return to our work without fear of being sun struck, we lighted our pipes, and stretched our forms beneath the shade of a gum tree, leisurely watched the smoke of the fragrant tobacco as it curled over our heads.