The Gold Hunters' Adventures Part 59

"Don't be alarmed," replied Maurice, composedly; "I'm well acquainted with the pistol, and once killed a bushranger with it at the distance of fifteen rods."

"Did it hurt him?" asked Steel Spring, with a shudder.

"I don't think that it did, for he never complained to me about the transaction," replied Maurice, with a grin. Steel Spring regarded the face of his companion for a moment in silence, and then seemed to decide that it would be better not to meddle with such a cool philosopher.

"Are we ready?" asked Murden, after every man had once more examined his gun and pistols.

"All ready, sir," answered the squad, eager to push forward.

"Then step light and keep your eyes about you. Smith, will you and the stockman defile to the left of us, while Fred and Jack perform the same duty on the right? It is the post of danger I offer you, gentlemen."

We readily accepted our location; for we had hinted to Murden that our safety required some such disposition of our forces, and he had acted on the suggestion.

On we stole, slowly, but noiselessly, each man looking to see where he planed his foot, so that no cracking of dry bushes should give warning of our approach. In fact, so well had the men improved under Fred's hints and observations, that they would have pa.s.sed for old Indian hunters to a casual observer.

Rover, as though aware of the nature of the expedition, trotted along a few yards in advance of us, stopping every few minutes to snuff the air, and then glance at my face, saying as plain as language could express the words, "There's no danger yet--come along and I'll give you warning."

For over an hour we picked our way, at each step whispering our repeated vows to shoot our guide if he did not conduct us right; and when I had begun to think that the fellow was playing us false, he suddenly stopped, and repeated his caution for silence.

"Ve is close to um," he said. "A few steps more and ve'll be in sight of their camp. Now, don't you think I'd better go behind, 'cos I'm not good at fightin', and Nosey is the devil when he gets in a rage."

"Don't stop to remonstrate," Murden replied. "Lead us to the very camp of the bushrangers, and don't think that you can go to the rear, and escape the action of my pistol in case you play us false. Onward you go."

"Here's a precious fix," muttered Steel Spring. "I've got to lead the way to the presence of that old devil, Nosey, and I know's he'll pin me the fust."

"Stop your grumbling," said Maurice, "or I'll treat your lank body to a dose of this."

He pointed to his huge pistol, and the threat effectually silenced all objections on the part of the guide, who meekly continued to move on, as though under the influence of some charm which he could not resist.

Ten minutes brought us to the edge of a clearing similar to the one which Black Darnley and his gang had occupied. It was in the most dense part of the forest, and well chosen for secrecy. Near the edge was a spring of water, and directly in the centre of the vacant s.p.a.ce was a log hut of large dimensions, with loopholes through which muskets could be poked in case of an a.s.sault.

There was no sign of life about the premises, and we were led to wonder whether the gang was within the hut sleeping off last night's fatigue, or whether they were off on an expedition. If the latter surmise was correct, we might have to wait three or four days before they returned, and that was something which we could not afford to do.

If the gang was asleep, an excellent opportunity was offered to capture them without the loss of a man; but who would venture to creep to the hut and find out, when there was a probability of a dozen men being encompa.s.sed behind those walls, waiting to take us by surprise, instead of our treating them to such a course of strategy!

Murden looked first at his men, but they rather avoided his eyes, and then his glance wandered to the old convict, but he did not appear to take the hint, and returned the stave with one of mildness. Fred's turn came next, and in him the right man was found.

"I see what you want, lieutenant," Fred said, with a smile, "and I am ready to comply. Keep me well covered with your guns, and think there is not much danger."

He left his rifle with me, and then, getting upon his hands and knees, crept forward, carefully sheltering his body, as far as possible, with stumps and tufts of gra.s.s, until he reached the door, which stood open.

He glanced hastily in, and then, without wasting time, turned his steps towards us as fast as possible.

"Well," we whispered, "what have you to report?"

"The bushrangers are in the hut, and sleeping, I think."

"Are you sure?" asked Murden.

"No. I am not sure that they are sleeping, but I am sure that they are lying on the floor, and apparently are not aware of our approach,"

returned Fred.

"Then let us move onward without delay, for the cracking of a branch might cost us our lives, and that is something none of us wish to spare, just now."

With cautious steps the men moved towards the hut, led by Fred and Murden. We met with no opposition, although it would not have surprised me to have heard a discharge of musketry as we advanced.

We gained the door without awakening our adversaries, and saw them stretched upon the floor, little dreaming that danger was so near.

On we stole until all our force was within the hut, and each policeman held a c.o.c.ked carbine at the head of a bushranger. Still they did not awaken, and it could only be accounted for on the supposition that they had been up all night making merry over our supposed death by fire.

"Kill the first man that offers to stir, in his defence," the lieutenant said, after having carefully collected all the guns that could be found handy.

The whisper, slight as it was, had the effect of causing the chief, the hideous Nosey, to open his eyes and look around, as though half dreaming; it, was not until his eyes met those of Murden that he fully awoke, then he made an effort to start to his feet, but he found the cold muzzles of Fred's and my own rifle pressed to his brain.

"We're betrayed!" he yelled, in a voice so shrill that it awoke every bushranger as suddenly as though the blast of a trumpet had rang through the room.

There were mingled oaths and exclamations, and desperate attempts to gain their feet; and one young fellow, who, in spite of warnings and threats, persisted in getting up, was shot through the head, and his brains spattered upon his comrades, who were lying by his side.

"Kill all who resist!" yelled Murden, scenting blood like a tiger; "if they submit, spare them, but death to the refractory."

The shooting of one appeared to have a good effect on the others, for although many a menacing glance was east upon us, and many a half-uttered oath was checked, yet there was no more struggling, or thoughts of resistance.

"I thought you dead," muttered Nosey, after a keen glance at the face of the lieutenant.

"It is not your fault that we are not," answered Murden, dryly.

"No, that it is not, for I meant to roast you and your force; in a few hours we intended to start on an expedition, and look for your bones.

How did you escape?" asked the unabashed robber.

"That you will never know; be a.s.sured that Providence has no such fortune in store for you, and that if enough wood and rope can be found, the manner of your death will not remain a mystery."

"Perhaps you mean by that I shall die on the gallows?" demanded the bushranger.

Murden nodded his head in token of a.s.sent.

"I'll bet you two to one, that a rope will never end my existence,"

cried the fellow, with an impudence and coolness that almost surpa.s.sed belief.

"Bind the villains with stout cords, for the present," cried the lieutenant, returning no answer to the banter of Nosey, who fired with indignation at the epithet.

"Whom do you call villains?" he demanded. "We were forced to become robbers by the tyrants of the hulks, and all the wrongs which were there inflicted upon us we have returned; and we should not have been human had we acted otherwise."

"I have no time to bandy words with you, even if I had the inclination,"

returned Murden; "get upon your feet, and submit to be bound like the rest; we know no distinction, and serve all the same."

The bushranger slowly rose to his feet, and his hideous face seemed almost to burst, so livid were the scars which marked it; his eyes were injected with blood, and glared like those of a wild beast.

"Bind me as soon as you please; here are my hands; you see that I am harmless and unarmed; the lion can be taken by his mane, for his claws are clipped, and his teeth are broken."

"You bloodthirsty monster, do not compare yourself to a lion; bah! you are like the skulking wolf that sneaks and steals upon its prey, and after appeasing its hunger, slays for the sake of showing its strength.