The Gold Hunters' Adventures Part 52

I knelt by the side of the dying man, but he was past consciousness, and no longer appeared to heed what was going on around. His tongue had swollen to such an extent that his jaws were open to their fullest width, and it was impossible to close them. His eyes were set and nearly concealed in their sockets, so rapidly had his face bloated from the effects of the poisonous virus that was coursing through his veins.

I spoke to him, but he did not heed me, and in answer to the robbers'

questions, I predicted his speedy death. They received the news with great coolness, and fell back to their old occupation of smoking pipes, leaving me alone with the body.

For a few minutes I sat there endeavoring to relieve the poor fellow's sufferings by welting his lips with water, and while I was thus engaged I was startled by hearing a slight rustling in the bushes; I looked up, thinking that the companion of the dead snake was about to visit us in search of its mate, and as I did so, I caught a glimpse of the wrinkled face of the stockman. I did not start or manifest symptoms of surprise, for I had lived too long in a country where Indians were my nearest neighbors to allow such an emotion to be observed. I continued my occupation, therefore, and while I kept my eyes on the hiding-place of the convict, I did not neglect to note the movements of the bushrangers, who were grouped around the fire, and wholly unsuspicious of the presence of their most deadly enemy.

"Hist!" said the stockman, after successfully imitating the singing of a cricket to attract my attention.

I turned my head towards him, but I still pretended to be busy attending to the wants of the dying man.

"Cut Smith and your friend loose, and then stand ready to aid us in striking a blow. Be cautious, and not a word."

I was left in wonder, for the head disappeared so quietly, it was only by a slight rustling of dried leaves that I knew the stockman was working his form through the bushes to rejoin whomever he had enlisted to a.s.sist him.

I puzzled my head for a few minutes, trying to think who was near at hand, but it was in vain; and I at length concluded that a pa.s.sing train of miners had volunteered, under a promise of a large reward, which now I had not the means of paying. I tried to invent excuses for the purpose of approaching Fred, and at length I hit upon a plan.

"I think," I said, speaking to the old sailor, "that I might relieve the man's sufferings were I to bleed him."

"Go ahead, then, matey," he answered, with a nod of his head.

"Let me see," I said, feeling in my pockets; "I believe that my friend has my lancet. Will you get it, or shall I?"

"Get it," he replied, mechanically, not even taking his pipe from his mouth to answer.

I had carefully secreted a knife which I had found upon the person of the bushranger, and with it I cut Fred's bonds, whispering words of caution as I did so.

"I haven't got the lancet," cried Fred, with a sudden shake, as though to prevent me from searching his pockets. "You know that I gave it to Smith."

"I'm sure that you didn't," Smith said, surprised at Fred's a.s.sertion.

Before he could utter further remonstrance I had severed his bonds and repeated my words of caution.

"Are you ready?" I heard a voice whisper close behind me.

I glanced to the spot where the rifles were lying, and then surveyed the bushrangers, as they lay stretched out before the fire, perfectly unconscious that we were plotting their destruction.

"All ready," I responded, making a signal to Fred to be on the alert.

"Stoop down a little," was the whispered injunction. I obeyed the order, and no sooner did I bow my head than the bushes appeared to be illuminated with a sheet of flame. A roar of musketry that seemed to shake the forest followed the flash, and over my head I could hear the bullets whiz as they sped on their errand of death.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

OPPORTUNE ARRIVAL OF LIEUTENANT MURDEN AND HIS FORCE, ROUT OF THE BUSHRANGERS.

I heard a wild yell, such as men utter when taken by surprise--I heard groans and curses, and then, loud above all, arose a cheer which could only have proceeded from men who had some great matter at stake, and were determined to fight to the last for victory.

Through the smoke, which slowly drifted over the clearing, I saw half a dozen robbers spring to their feet and fall headlong, like logs, to the ground, and by the light of the still blazing fire I observed the astonishment depicted upon the faces of the bushrangers as they looked in the direction from whence the discharge proceeded, and stumbled over each other on their way towards the spot where their arms were stacked.

All this I observed in a few seconds' time, but before I could start to my feet, wondering who were the attacking party, I heard the voice of the old convict, shrill and wild, shout out a quotation from the Bible, and conclude with one of his semi-religious, fanatical expressions.

"May the G.o.d of my fathers," he exclaimed, "forgive me for killing the devils, but I couldn't help it."

"Charge, men!" cried a manly voice that I thought I knew.

A wild cheer arose that shook the very forest, and through the bushes came the regular tramp of disciplined men. I caught sight of the old familiar blue uniform, and one glance at the leader of the force was sufficient. I saw my old friend, Lieutenant Murden, and a strong squad of Melbourne police at his back.

I sprang to my feet and cheered l.u.s.tily, and then grasped the first weapon that I could find, and joined their ranks. I saw that Fred and Smith were with me, and like eagles we swept down upon our prey.

A hasty discharge greeted us, and one man fell badly wounded, but we had no time to pause to administer to his relief. On we rushed where the bushrangers were endeavoring to make a stand, and were calling upon each other to fight to the last. Even Nosey was evidently determined to sustain his great reputation and die facing his enemies; but as we advanced upon a run we delivered our fire and tumbled over two or three others, and that, with the complete surprise which had been gained over them, completed their confusion. They broke, and dashed into the woods, but not before half of their number was placed _hors du combat_, and amidst them, stretched upon the ground bleeding from two bad wounds, was the old sailor who had released me.

"No mercy--kill the accursed dogs," roared the stockman, swinging his long gun over his head, and das.h.i.+ng after a young fellow who had fought desperately, but now sought to escape.

"Come back," shouted Murden, in a voice of thunder. "Venture beyond the edge of this clearing, and your life is not worth a sixpence. The bushrangers know every turn of the woods, and are already in ambush, waiting for victims. Extinguish that fire, men, as soon as possible, and don't too many of you venture near it until it is smothered."

"You are the last man that I expected to see to-night, Murden," I said, grasping his hand with a pressure that expressed my grat.i.tude at his arrival.

"Well, to tell you the truth," he replied, "I must say that three hours ago I had no idea of shaking hands with old friends. But let me station the men to prevent a surprise, for I shall have to stop here all night, as the risk is too great trying to reach the prairie until morning, and then we will compare notes. I see that you are well, and that is all that I care about now. Even Smith has not lost an ounce of flesh since our last meeting."

"I may not have lost flesh, but my worriment of mind for the last few hours has been awful," replied the teamster, with a grin of satisfaction at his escape.

"A few hours' sleep will restore you," cried the lieutenant, pleasantly.

By this time the police had extinguished the fire, which was burning too brightly for safety. The half-consumed logs were thrown aside to smoulder and die out, and dirt thrown upon the coals to extinguish their brightness.

"Maurice," called the lieutenant, speaking to his old orderly, "station four men at different quarters, and tell them to give an alarm if they but hear a stick move. The bushrangers have not gone far, I warrant you, and perhaps they will beat up our quarters before morning."

"Yes, sir," promptly replied the policeman.

"How many of our force are wounded?" the officer asked.

"Sam, sir, has got a shot in his thigh, and the blood flows pretty fast from the wound. I have tied it up as well as possible."

"I will go and attend on him, and see what can be done for his relief;"

and the lieutenant started at a brisk pace towards where the injured man was lying.

"Well, Sam, how do you feel?" inquired Murden.

"Weak from the loss of blood, sir, but I think that I shall get over it."

"Get over it?" repeated Murden, in pretended surprise, "of course you will. I don't want to lose the best fighting man that I have got in my troop. When we get back to Melbourne you can go into hospital quarters if you wish to, but not for any length of time. I cannot spare you many weeks, Sam."

"I'm glad to hear it, sir," replied the policeman, in a tone of voice that showed how pleased he was. "Did you see how I brought the fellow down who was aiming at us?"

"Of course I did. I knew the instant you sighted him that he was a dead robber. But don't talk any more. I will have a torch lighted, even if it brings the devils upon us, and by its light I will bind up your wound so that you will feel quite nicely by morning."