The police captain exerted himself in a very friendly manner, and owingto the absence of red tape which in an older settlement might haveoccasioned delay, that same day our Yankee friend was made happy byreceiving the sum of fifty pounds.
He called the boys to him, and dividing the money, as well as he could,into three equal parts, he offered one each to Harry and Jack.
"Now we start alike," he said. "There's nearly seventeen pounds apiece.It seems a good deal, but it won't last long here. We must findsomething to do before long."
"That's just what I want," said Harry, "I came out here to work, andmake money, not to loaf about."
"That's the way with me," said Jack, but his tone was not so hopeful orcheerful as Harry's.
"Confess now, Jack," said Harry, "you would rather be on board ship thanhere at the diggings."
"I would," said Jack; "wouldn't you?"
"Not yet. There is no money to be made on board ship."
"When you've made your pile, my lad," said Obed, "you can go back toMelbourne, and easily get a berth on board some merchant ship bound toLiverpool or New York. There is a great demand for sailors at thatport."
This made Jack more cheerful. He was willing to stay a while, he said,and help Harry and Mr. Stackpole, but in the end he must return to hisold life.
Mr. Stackpole and the boys took a long walk, and reconnoitred thediggings on both sides of Bendigo creek. Toward the middle of theafternoon they came upon a thin, melancholy looking young man, who wassitting in a despondent attitude with his arms folded.
"Are you sick, my friend?" asked Obed.
"I am very ill," was the answer. "I don't think I shall ever be anybetter."
Further questioning elicited the information that he had taken a severecold from exposure two months before, in consequence of which his lungswere seriously affected.
"Why do you stay here, then?" asked Obed.
"I shall go back to Melbourne as soon as I have sold my claim."
"What do you want for it?"
"It is worth fifty pounds. I will take twenty-five."
Obed after careful inquiry judged that it was a bargain. He proposed tothe two boys to join him in the purchase of the claim. They felt thatthey could safely follow his judgment, and struck a bargain. So beforetwenty-four hours had passed, the three friends were joint proprietorsof a claim, and had about eight pounds apiece to meet expenses till itbegan to yield a return.
CHAPTER XXII.
STRIKING LUCK.
"Now, boys," said Obed, "we have some hard work before us. Mining isn'tlike standing behind a counter, or measuring off calico. It takesconsiderable more muscle."
"I am used to hard work," said Jack, "but you'll have to show me how."
"I'll keep up with Jack," said Harry manfully. "You won't have to chargeeither of us with laziness."
"I believe you, boys. There isn't a lazy bone in either of you. As Ihave experience, I'll boss the job, and all you'll have to do will be toobey orders."
"All right, captain!" said Jack, touching his cap, with a smile.
This, then, was the understanding between the three, and it wasfaithfully adhered to. The two boys, sensible of their ignorance, werevery ready to obey Obed, and he found them willing workers. Theyinstalled themselves in a cabin which had been occupied by the man theybought out. He gave them the use of it, having no further occasion forit himself, and they began to keep house as one family. They livedroughly enough, and yet, so high were all articles of food, on accountof the trouble and expense of transportation from Melbourne, that itcost them as much as would have paid for living at a respectable hotelin the States.
All three entered upon their labors with high hopes. The first day andthe second day yielded no results, but, as Obed reminded them, a minerneeds to be patient. But when one week--two weeks--passed, and theamount of gold found amounted to less than ten dollars, all three beganto look sober.
"This is beginning to look serious, boys," said Obed thoughtfully, asthey set about their work on the first day of the third week. "Our claimaint pannin' out very rich."
"My store of money is panning out very fast," said Harry, with a faintsmile.
"I've got less than two pounds left," said Jack. "What are we going todo when it's all gone?"
"I don't know," said Obed, "unless we catch another murderer."
The boys smiled, but not hilariously. They felt, as Obed expressed it,that matters were indeed becoming serious. To run short of money nearlyten thousand miles from home was no light thing.
"We might sell the claim," suggested Harry.
Obed shook his head.
"I don't think we could," he replied. "Everybody would understand ourreason for selling--that we despaired of finding any gold--and insteadof getting twenty-five pounds, I doubt if you could get twenty-fiveshillings for it. You know about how long twenty-five shillings wouldlast us."
"I suppose there is nothing to do but to keep on," said Harry.
Obed nodded. "You've said it," he returned. "Let us keep up good heart,my boys. Don't borrow trouble. When things come to the worst, we'lldecide what to do then."
By way of setting the example of cheerfulness, Obed began to whistle"Yankee Doodle," and the boys joined in. It was not altogether asuccessful effort, but it made them feel a little more cheerful. At allevents it attracted a listener--a tall, shabby-looking tramp, who hadbeen wandering about for a day or two, visiting one claim after another,trying to raise a loan.
"I say, you're uncommon jolly, you chaps," he began, as he stood in alounging attitude watching the little party at their work.
"If we are it's a credit to us," returned Obed dryly, "for there isn'tmuch to be jolly about."
"Isn't your claim a good one?"
"That's what we're trying to find out. Where's yours, stranger?"
The tramp returned an evasive answer and shambled off.
"Do you think he's got a claim, Obed?" asked Jack.
"No; but he's prowling around to see what he can pick up."
"Do you think he's a thief?"
"I think he's willing to be. He heard us whistling, and thought we'dfound something."
"We are safe from robbery for the present." said Harry.
"Yes, there's that advantage about being poor. It reminds me of old JackPierce in our village."
"What about him?" asked Harry.
"He read in the paper one day that a certain bank had burst. So he wenthome in a hurry to see if he had any bills on that bank. He found thathe had no bills on that bank or any other--and then he felt better."
Harry laughed.
"It was a poor consolation, I think," he said. "I remember hearing asermon from our minister at home in which he said that riches were agreat responsibility, but I don't think I should mind taking theresponsibility."
"That's my idee, Harry. I am afraid there isn't much chance of ourhaving that responsibility, but there's one thing we can do if we don'tmake the claim pay."
"What's that, Obed?"
"We can join the bushrangers."
"Will you set us the example?" asked Harry, smiling.
"I'm not quite desperate enough yet. We'll try the claim a littlelonger. But I'm gettin' tuckered out. We'll go and get some dinner andthen start diggin' again."
They repaired to their cabin, and solaced themselves with food. Thenthey threw themselves down in the shadow of the cabin to rest, and Obedpulled out his pipe. This was a solace which the boys didn't enjoy. Theywere sensible enough to know, that, whatever may be said of men, boysonly receive injury from the use of tobacco. In the resolution toabstain, they were upheld and encouraged by Obed, who, veteran smoker ashe was, did not approve of smoking.
"You're better off without it, boys," he said. "It won't do you no good.I wish I could leave it off."
"Why don't you?" asked Harry.
"Easier said than done, my boy. Let me see, I was only turned ofthirteen when I used to slink off to the barn and smoke, for I knewfather wouldn't let m
e if he knew it. It made me sick at first, but Ithought it was makin' a man of me, and I kept on. Well, the habit's onme now, and it's hard to break. It don't hurt a man as much as a boy,but it don't do him any good, either. Jack, did you ever smoke?"
"No, Obed; but one of the sailors gave me a piece of tobacco to chewonce. I didn't like it and spit it out."
"The best thing you could do. I wish all boys were as sensible."
In their hours of rest the three often chatted of home. Theirconversation was generally of one tenor. They liked to fancy themselvesreturning with plenty of money, and planned how they would act undersuch pleasant circumstances. Instead of the barren hills among whichthey were encamped, familiar scenes and faces rose before them, and thepicture was so attractive that it was hard to come back to the cheerlessreality.
"Well, boys," said Obed, at the end of an hour, "we may as well go towork again. The gold's waitin' for us."
It was an old joke, and scarcely elicited a smile now. In fact, the boysfelt that they had waited a long time for the gold. It was not,therefore, with a very hopeful feeling that they obeyed the summons andreturned to the claim. Though of a sanguine disposition, they began todoubt seriously whether their efforts would ever be rewarded. They hadpretty much lost the stimulus of hope.
About four o'clock, when Jack was at work with the pick, somethingcurious happened. Instead of sinking into the earth it glanced off, asfrom something hard.
"What is it, Jack?" asked Obed quickly.
"I must have struck a rock, Obed."
"Here, give me the pick," said Obed eagerly.
He struck, and lo! a yellow streak became plainly visible.
"Boys," said he in an agitated voice, "I believe our luck has come."
"What do you mean, Obed?"
"I believe we've found a nugget;" and to the boys' intense surprise heimmediately began to cover it up with dirt.
"What's that for?" asked Harry.
"Hush! we mustn't take it out now. Somebody might be looking. We'll waittill it's darker."
Just then the tramp before mentioned strolled up.
"What luck, friends?" he asked.
"Same as usual," answered Obed, shrugging his shoulders. "Don't you wantto buy the claim?"
"Not I," and the tramp, quite deceived by his manner, kept on hisround.
CHAPTER XXIII.
RAISING THE NUGGET.
"It's lucky we covered up the gold," said Obed, in a low voice. "That'sthe last man I wanted to discover our good luck."
"Shan't we keep on working?" asked Harry, in excitement.
"I will just probe a little to form some idea of the size of thenugget," answered Obed.
"Then you think it is a nugget?" asked Jack eagerly.
"Yes, I think our luck has come at last, boys. I think we will be ableto pull up stakes and go back to America. But about keeping on now, weshall need to be cautious. Someone might come by, and see what we areabout."
Then Harry made a suggestion.
"Let Jack go up to the top, and if anyone comes he can whistle. Thatwill put us on our guard."
"A good idea!" said Obed.
So Jack threw himself on the ground in a listless posture, and the othertwo continued their explorations. They dug all about the boulder, whichproved to be about a foot in diameter. It was embedded in clay, fromwhich it was separated with some difficulty. It was encased in quartz,but the interior was bright, glittering gold.
"It's a regular beauty," said Obed in a low tone, his eyes glitteringwith excitement. "It isn't once in a dog's age that so big a nugget isdiscovered."
"How much do you call it worth, Obed?" asked Harry in the same lowtone.
"That's hard tellin', Harry; but it's worth ten thousand dollarseasy."
"Thank God!" ejaculated Harry fervently. "That will release us from ourimprisonment, and enable us to go back to America."
"You are right, Harry, but the hardest job lies before us."
"What's that?"
"To get it out without observation, and keep it secure from thieves."
"We'll do our best. Only you give the orders, Obed."
"Then, first and foremost, we'll cover it up again, and go up tillevening, when we will secure it, and carry it to our cabin."
So said, so done. They joined Jack at the limit of the excavation.
"Is it all right?" asked the young sailor eagerly.
"Yes," answered Harry.
"Is it really a big one?"
"Yes; we can all go back to America, Jack."
"And I can once more be a sailor?"
"Yes, if you like it."
Jack was told of their plan of removing the nugget by night, and saw atonce that it was a wise one.
"Shall we go to the cabin now?" he asked.
"No, Jack; it won't do to leave our treasure unguarded. We will loungehere and make sure that no one robs us of our discovery."
Finding the Nugget.]
So they sat down, and Obed lighted his pipe once more.
A neighbor strolled up and sat down beside them.
"You are leaving off work early," he said.
"Yes," answered Obed with a yawn, "we might as well take it easy. It'shard work--this mining."
"What luck?"
"Our luck is to come," said our Yankee friend. "How is it with you?"
"I have got out seventy-five dollars this week," answered the othercomplacently.
"Whew! that's good! What do you say to swapping claims?"
"Oh, no," answered the neighbor, wagging his head jocosely. "I'm not sogreen. The fact is, Mr. Stackpole, I don't want to discourage you, but Idon't believe you'll ever see the money you put into this hole. Comenow, what did you pay?"
"Five and twenty pounds."
"If you can get five pounds for it, my advice is, sell."
"I don't know but you're right," said Stackpole in a rueful tone. "Willyou give me five pounds for it?"
"Ho, ho! I might give you five shillings, though it would be a risk."
"Then I don't think we'll sell, eh, Harry?"
"We had better give it away than take that sum," said Harry, carefullyveiling his inward exultation.
They went to their cabin at the usual time and indulged themselves in abetter supper than usual, feeling that they could afford to do so. It iswonderful how success stimulates the appetite.
"I don't know when I have been so hungry, Obed," said Harry.
"I feel the same way," chimed in Jack.
"A light heart increases the appetite, boys, but sometimes I've feltwolfish when my heart was heavy. Fifteen months ago I was in Californy,and down on my luck. Things had been goin' contrary, and I hadn't moneyenough to buy a square meal. I didn't like to tell my friends, bein' abit proud. One day when I was feelin' so hungry that I wouldn't haveturned up my nose at a Chinaman's diet--rat pie--an old acquaintance metme and asked me to dine with him. Did I accept? Well, I should smile. Idid smile all over my face, as I sat down to the table. You'd bettercalculate that I made my knife and fork fly. Finally my friend remarked,looking kind of queer, 'You've got a healthy appetite, Stackpole.' Ianswered, 'It sort of runs in our family to eat whenever we get achance.' 'Good joke!' said he, laughing. But it was no joke when he cameto pay the bill, I tell you."
"I'll remember that, Obed," said Harry, smiling, "and when I invite youto dinner, I'll first inquire whether you've had anything to eat for aweek back."
"I generally eat for a weak stomach," returned Obed, venturing on alittle joke at which the boys felt bound to laugh.
As they sat at the door of their cabin, they kept a good lookout in thedirection of their claim. They could not afford, now that success was intheir grasp, to have it snatched away. But they discovered no suspiciousmovements on the part of anyone. In fact, no one suspected that they had"struck it rich." So poor was the general opinion of their claim, thatthey would have found it hard to obtain a purchaser at any price. Hadthere been the least suspicion, the camp would have been greatlyexcited. r />
As a rule, the miners retired early. They became fatigued during theday, and sleep was welcome. There was, indeed, a gambling saloon at somedistance, frequented by the more reckless, but generally good hours wereobserved in the camp.
About half past eleven, Obed nudged Harry and Jack, who had fallenasleep.
"What is it?" asked Harry, in a drowsy tone.
"Hush!" whispered Obed. "Don't make any more noise than you can help. Ithink it will be safe to go and secure the nugget now."
This was enough. Harry was wide awake in an instant, and he in turnroused Jack.
There was no elaborate toilet to make, for they had thrown themselvesdown in their day attire. They left the cabin, and by the faint light ofthe moon, which was just ready to retire for the night, they found theirway to the claim without being observed.
Fifteen minutes' work, and the task was accomplished. The nugget wasraised, and wrapped in a red bandanna handkerchief, which Obed hadbrought all the way from his New England home.
"It must weigh seventy-five pounds," whispered Obed exultantly. "Boys,we're in tall luck. It was worth coming out to Australy for. We'll keepit in the cabin over night, and to-morrow we'll put it where it will besafe."
They gained the cabin without having been seen so far as they knew. Ofthe hundreds of men sleeping within a furlong's distance, not onedreamed of a discovery which was to draw the attention of the wholecolony to Bendigo. But they had not wholly escaped observation. One pairof eyes had detected them in their midnight walk.