CAMPING OUT.
When Hil mounted her colt the next morning, that fractious animal could
not resist having another set-to, just to convince himself that his
master was really on his back. Hil was quite agreeable and having
satisfied the creature on that point, she and May started at a brisk
canter along the road, following the wheel-tracks, which were still
clearly defined. Hil was not disappointed in either purchase, for both
horses settled down to their work admirably, and by eight o'clock they
considered they were twenty miles away from Dalby. They therefore pulled
up at Jimbour Creek, dismounted, hobbled their horses, and let them roam
for a feed, while they prepared breakfast. Both had excellent appetites
after their ride, and did full justice to the meal their own skill had
prepared. During the repast, they heard horses' hoofs approaching, and
shortly were joined by two young men of the bush type, probably
shearers.
"Good-day, mates," called out one, as they came near.
"Good-day to you," said May. "Have a cup of tea, the water's just
boiling."
It sounded more like an invitation in a lady's boudoir than from the
bush, but putting them down as new chums, the pair dismounted and
accepted the offer.
"Where are you young fellows making for?" asked one.
"Going along the river. Did you come that way?"
"Yes, we've come in from Condamine station."
"See anything of a buggy along the road?"
"Well, I'm blowed! Yes, we did. Why?"
"We are trying to catch up to one," said Hil.
"We camped alongside two fellows with a buggy last night, and they told
me they were after two other fellows, and now I suppose you fellows are
after them?" said the stranger, with a laugh.
"Are there two buggies ahead?"
"Yes, one is broken-down at Campbell Camp, and the other ought to be
there by this time. Are you policemen after them?"
"No, not at all. They are friends. We have missed one another. That's
all."
"Well, come along, matey," said the younger of the two to his companion.
"Good-day to you, and much obliged," and they mounted and disappeared.
"Time to get on, Hil," said May.
"Yes, I think so," and a few minutes later they were on the track of the
fugitives once more.
The roads now became rough and hilly, and the travelling much slower.
About three o'clock they reached Campbell Camp crossing, and there they
found the buggy, broken-down as described. An old man was camped close
by, and seemed in possession of the turn-out, as he had the horses tied
up close at hand.
"Had a smash?" asked Hil, greeting him.
"Yes, axle bent," said he, coming towards them.
"Seen anything of another buggy go by?"
"Yes, one drove across to the station this morning, with two men in it.
They drove a pair of bay horses."
"We may as well camp here for the night," said Hil, "the feed seems
pretty good, and water's scarce ahead they tell us."
"Are you coves going to camp here?" asked the man.
"Yes, we are thinking of doing so."
"That's the style, it's a bit lonely here all day."
"Who's trap is that?"
"It belongs to a young chap going to Chinchilla. He's gone on ahead."
"What sort of a fellow is he?" asked Hil.
"A youngish chap. Seemed like as he was in trouble, for he sweared a lot
when we broke down."
"What's your name?"
"Joe Brown."
"What time did he start from here?"
"About eight o'clock this morning: but what do you want to know for?"
"Oh! nothing, he's a friend of ours."
"That's just what them other coves said who drove up in a buggy, only
they was more inquisitive."
"Could they be the boys?" said Hil, turning to May.
"No, impossible; and yet they may be, like us, in disguise for all we
know."
"Which way did they go?" said she, turning to the man.
"They went to Chinchilla after him."
"Oh, well, I expect we shall catch up with them to-morrow. Come along,
May, let's get our tent rigged up."
While they were fixing their tent, a hawker's van, drawn by four horses,
drove up. Beside the driver sat a man and a boy. Pulling up alongside
the creek, the driver walked towards Joe Brown.
"Are you Joe Brown?" he called out in a loud voice.
"Yes, that's me. What's up?"
"Well, I met a young chap going to Chinchilla this morning, and he told
me to try and straighten the axle of his buggy, and take it back to
Dalby."
"I've got no objection," said Joe, looking significantly at the other
man in the cart.
"Then come and give us a hand to get my team out, and we'll set to work
at once," said the hawker, whose name was Abraham Abrahams.
The girls having rigged their tent and seen to the horses, strolled down
to the hawker's trap, and volunteered their assistance.
"Quite welcome, chaps," said Abrahams.
"Come on, Tom, fly round now, you're going to sleep," said he to the man
with him, who was trying to unharness a horse, but did not know how to
set about it.
"Let me help you," said Hil, pushing him aside and taking the harness
off.
When everything was done to the satisfaction of the hawker, all hands
were directed to the buggy. While they were engaged on that two more
fellows appeared on the scene. They carried their swags on their
shoulders.
"Hallo there! What's the game?" said one, as he came up to them.
"A bit of a smash, that's all," answered Abrahams. "Now then, twist her
a bit more. Hang on, let's look now," he sang out, as he directed the
operations.
"Yes, that'll do now," he added. "Let's get it back in its place before
dark, so we can have an early start."
The axle replaced, all adjourned to their respective tents to prepare a
meal. The two latest arrivals chose a camping-ground some twenty yards
from that the girls had selected, and soon had a fire lit and their
billy boiling.
When all had finished their meal Abrahams suggested they should make a
big fire and sit round it and spin yarns. The idea was readily taken up,
and a huge log was selected, round which a rope was fixed and harnessed
to one of the horses, when it was at once dragged into the required
position. Some light wood was gathered, and soon the log was well
ablaze, and they disposed themselves in a circle round it. Old Joe was
inclined to be a little bit selfish and directly the log was in
position, he took a seat on one end of it, and obstinately resisted all
efforts to dislodge him. Now it happened that that log had been the home
of a large swarm of the ants known as "green-heads." These, as most
campers-out know, can sting pretty sharply, and while Joe was disputing
his right to the seat, they were gradually being driven by the smoke to
the other end of the log. They found Joe's coat-tails an excellent
bridge, and swarmed up them. Presently Joe began to feel uncomfortable;
then he gave a jump, and finally yelled with agony, and starting up
began to fling his clothes off as quickly as possible. The girls found
it necessary to retire to their tent to fetch something they had
forgotten.
"How very awkward if they had attacked us," said May.
"Very," answered Hilda, laughing heartily at May's look of alarm.
They gave Joe time to rid himself of the pests, and returned to the
fire. Nobody now disputed the right of ownership to the log, for it was
fairly alive with ants. Joe was sore all over and in a bad temper, until
some one offered to give him some whiskey to rub in his wounds. Joe
bargained he should drink it in preference, which he did and was soon
restored to good-humour.
For the second time the five people who are on the search for one
another found themselves in each others' company and were unaware that
this was the case. The two men with swags were the boys. They had left
their trap in charge of a man camped half-a-mile down the creek, and
disguising themselves a second time, in order not to be recognized by
Joe, appeared as tramps. They had started for Chinchilla, but missed the
road and had not found out their error until they had gone some fourteen
miles out of their way, when they met a tramp who told them. Picking him
up, they returned to the creek, hoping Wyck might have come back for his
buggy.
When Wyck's buggy broke down he was in a terrible rage, but he did not
take long to form fresh plans and, having told Joe enough to put him on
his guard, he went on his way, but not to Chinchilla. When the boys
drove up, he was hidden in a hollow log about twenty paces away, where
he could see and hear all that took place. Joe was up to snuff and sent
the boys on what he considered a wild-goose chase. When he had let the
boys get fairly out of sight Wyck walked along the road in the hope of
coming across a Jew hawker, whom a horseman had told him was travelling
that route. Nor was he disappointed, for Abrahams came in sight. A
five-pound note was exchanged, and Abrahams agreed to take him and his
buggy back to Dalby. Wyck then got up alongside the driver. Although he
was very uneasy, he had no idea his enemies were so close to him,
neither had Hil any conception who the man was she had shewn how to
unharness the horses. Wyck had palled up with Joe in the train, and
retained him to shew the way. Joe in return had improved Wyck's get-up,
so that he now looked quite the bushman, as he lounged by the fire.
In the interval between the yarns all had been spinning, Wyck said to
Abrahams, with a wink:
"Wonder how that poor devil is getting on?"
"Which, that fellow who owned the trap?"
"Yes. He'll never see Chinchilla to-night, if I'm not mistaken."
"Where did you meet him?" asked Joe of Abrahams.
"About two miles from here."
"What was he like?"
"Tall, dark, and about twenty-eight," put in Wyck.
"That's my boss," said Joe, taking the cue. "I tried to persuade him
from going, but he would go."
"Well, he asked me to take his buggy to Dalby for him, and I am going
to do it," said Abrahams.
"Quite right!" said Wyck.
Four people greedily took in this conversation, and made their plans
accordingly. As the fire died low, first one, and then another went to
their tents, and the camp was deserted. Wyck slept in the van with
Abrahams.