_THE NEW CLAIMS_
The victory of Black Boy was not very well received, although no blame
was attached to either owner or trainer. The horse's previous running
showed he had very little chance of carrying off such a race as the
Sydney Cup.
Jack Redland won a large sum, and half of this was to go to Barry
Tuxford. Job Seagrave landed a couple of hundred pounds, and was
jubilant.
The stewards could not let the previous running of Black Boy pass
unchallenged, and called Abe Moss before them to give an explanation of
the horse's performances during the time he owned him. Abe made some
blundering excuses, which only half satisfied the stewards, and wound up
by saying he had backed Lucky Boy in the Cup, as he did not consider the
winner good enough. This was perfectly correct, and probably thinking he
had been sufficiently punished by losing his money, the stewards gave
him a severe caution, and warned him to be careful how he acted in the
future.
Jack was naturally anxious to hear from Barry Tuxford, but there was
nothing for it but to wait patiently until he communicated with him.
He lost no time in paying a visit to the "Falcon" and renewing his
acquaintance with his old friends of the "Golden Land." Sam Slack and
Rufus Macdonald gave him a hearty welcome, and the latter said the
skipper was a "canny mon" to land the "Falcon" in port in time to back
Black Boy in the Cup. "It's a pity we were not there," he said.
Jack dined with them on board, and they spent several merry evenings
together, until the time came for the "Falcon" to commence her homeward
voyage.
Captain Seagrave willingly took charge of several parcels Jack wished to
send to Winifred and Sir Lester, he also entrusted to Job a splendid
photograph of Black Boy, with Sleath in the saddle, and the black and
orange colours up.
When the "Falcon" left the harbour Jack felt more lonely than he had
ever done since he landed in Australia, and it was with a feeling of
intense relief he received a letter from Barry Tuxford some weeks after
Black Boy had won the Cup.
Barry wrote in high spirits, he had nothing but good news to tell. His
man had not exaggerated in the least, and he reckoned their claims would
be about the richest in Western Australia.
"The country, as you may expect, is infernal," wrote Barry, "not fit for
a civilised white man to live in, but where gold is to be found there do
the people flock together, and it was not long before they were on my
track after the first gold went on to the Great Tom township, and the
Warden had granted our claims. You have never been in a gold rush and I
hope you never will. It is hell let loose, every man for himself and the
devil take the hindmost. All the worst features of the human race come
to the surface; if a man has any of the leven of unrighteousness in him
it's bound to ooze out in a big lump. I have seen some very choice
collections of blackguards in my time but I never set eyes on such a
crew as we have had up here at Bundoola Creek. They are the scum of the
earth, and although there are some good fellows amongst them, the
majority ought to be in gaol. You know me fairly well, and that I am not
easily staggered, but I tell you candidly when I looked round on the
crew that rushed the Creek I felt a trifle uncomfortable. We had secured
the best claims, and the fellows knew it, and this raised their ire.
They saw there was gold on our pitches to be had almost for the asking,
and they wanted some of it. I was equally determined they should not
have it. I took with me, from the township, a dozen men I could depend
upon, and to make doubly sure of them I gave them a hint where to peg
out their ground. This gave them an interest in the concern and as they
were all well armed the rogues and vagabonds would have had a rough time
of it had they ventured to interfere with us. Things have settled down a
bit now, and as there is plenty for all I see no reason why the peace
should not be kept.
"As for the claims, I have called one the 'Redland,' and the other the
'Barry Tuxford,' so we stand a good chance of becoming famous all the
world over, for sure as fate these will be big concerns. I have just
heard Black Boy won the Sydney Cup, and you cannot think how delighted I
am. For a middle aged man I acted in a most absurd way. I danced around
the camp like a wild man, and my pals thought the heat had affected my
brain. When I explained what had occurred they understood, they are all
good sports. What a triumph, Jack, and what an awful scoundrel Abe Moss
must be. I don't know how my horse ran, and don't much care, now you
won. If Joel Kenley thinks Lucky Boy will win a race let him keep him in
training, if not, sell him for what he will bring. Thank him for all he
has done for us, and give him a bonus of a hundred pounds as a slight
token of my regard. There is no secrecy now about my movements, and you
may tell anyone you like where I am, and what has happened, providing
they do not already know.
"Come back to Fremantle as soon as you feel inclined, as I have a lot to
say to you about our future prospects. I advise you to leave Black Boy
with Kenley, or sell him if you think it best. I shall be glad to see
you again; you cannot understand how I miss you. Have had no news of the
pearling fleet, but expect they will be back soon. By the way, the only
bit of inferior news I have is that old Silas Filey has gone on a trip
to Shark's Bay. What the deuce takes the old fellow to that outlandish
place I do not know, but he has taken the black pearl with him or else
hidden it somewhere. Wait until he comes back and if he does not give it
up, I'll throttle the life out of him. Another item of news. I saw that
black thief, Kylis, in Fremantle, and he is in funds. Where he got the
money from the Lord knows; but he had the cheek to ask me to assist him
in fitting out a schooner. He said he had over a hundred pounds, and
would I advance him the rest. As we were not near the harbour, or the
river, I had no opportunity of pitching him into the water, but he
evidently understood the meaning of my language and cleared off with a
rapidity seldom seen in the black race. You need not trouble about the
pearl, Silas is sure to have it safe, and I will get it when he
returns."
Jack Redland went to Joel Kenley's, taking the letter with him, and read
it to the trainer.
"Now you will understand why I could not tell you where he had gone,"
said Jack, as he finished Barry's epistle.
"You were perfectly right to keep everything to yourself," replied Joel.
"It is very good of him to send me a hundred pounds."
"You deserve that and more, and I hope you will not refuse if I offer
you another hundred to match it."
"I shall not refuse," replied Joel, "for I know the spirit in which it
is offered."
"Will you take charge of the horses while I am away?" asked Jack. "I
leave for Fremantle by the next boat."
"Willingly; they are both worth keeping in training, and will pay their
way."
"You must run them when you like," said Jack. "Please use them as though
they were your own, and I will leave a couple of hundred pounds to your
credit to back them with."
"I will do my best," said Joel, who appreciated the confidence placed in
him.
Bricky came in for his share of the plums, and found himself in
possession of a far larger sum than he had been accustomed to handle of
late years. Fred Manns, the head lad, had no cause to grumble, nor had
either of the jockeys who rode "the two boys."
"I told you he was a good sort," said Bricky.
"He is," replied Fred Manns, "one of the very best."
It was now public property in Sydney that Barry Tuxford had left
suddenly to claim the best part of the Bundoola Creek Mines, and Jack
Redland was congratulated on all sides at being the partner of such a
successful man.
"I am not his partner," said Jack, "at least I have put no money into
these claims."
"He's called one claim after you, and another after himself, so there
can be no doubt about it," was the reply.
The voyage to Fremantle was tedious to Jack, owing to his impatience to
meet Barry, and hear the news from his own lips. At last the steamer
entered the harbour and he at once went ashore and straight on to Perth.
Barry was not there, but was expected down in the course of the week, so
Jack had to pass the time as best he could. He went back to Fremantle in
the hope that he might come across Silas Filey, and had not been long
there when he met the black, Kylis. The fellow grinned when he saw him,
and Jack felt inclined to knock him down. He smothered his anger and
beckoned to him. Kylis sauntered across the road and asked what he
wanted.
"Tell me how you stole the black pearl out of my waist-belt," said Jack,
quickly, and holding him by the arm.
The black cowed under his angry gaze, and said in a low voice that he
would do as he wished, providing no harm came to him.
"No one shall touch you, tell me everything," said Jack.
Kylis told the story of the robbery and of the sale of the pearl to Amos
Hooker, also how Hooker parted with it for a hundred pounds to one of
Silas Filey's men. He did not say anything about Hooker's death.
All this was interesting to Jack, who wondered at the black's cunning.
"You are a dangerous fellow, Kylis," he said. "Mind and keep out of
trouble in future, here's a sovereign for you."
The black took it with many expressions of gratitude, and then walked
rapidly away.
At last Barry Tuxford returned to Perth, and after a hearty greeting
between them Jack saw he was much altered and that he had suffered a
good deal in health. He was not the same lively Barry Tuxford who had
left him in Sydney, and Jack was troubled.
"You are ill, Barry," he said, anxiously. "You have overworked yourself,
you must rest and have a doctor to see you at once."
"I'm all right, Jack," he said, faintly, "a bit knocked up, that's all;
I shall soon get over it, but I've had a hard job, a precious hard job."
Barry Tuxford was seriously ill, and when the doctor saw him he said
that complete rest and change was what he required.
"He has a constitution of iron," said the doctor, "or he would have
knocked up weeks ago. I warned him of the risk he was running the last
time he was here, but when a man has the gold fever on him the fear of
death will not stop him. He is your friend, Mr. Redland. From what he
has told me I know you have more influence with him than anyone, you
must make him give all this up for a time. Take him to England for a
trip, the voyage will do him more good than all the medicine I can give
him. Once you get him safely out to sea he cannot give you the slip, but
he'll do it here if you do not watch him closely. I never met such a man
before, he's all activity, and his courage is marvellous."
"Is he in any danger?" asked Jack.
"No, not at present, but if this sort of work goes on I will not be
answerable for his health, or life. Do as I advise you, get him away
from it all. Make him go, he has plenty of money and it will be of no
use to him if he loses his health."
"I will do my best," said Jack. "He has promised to go to England with
me when I return, and although I did not mean to go back for a year or
two, I will tell him I have decided to take the trip as soon as
possible."
"That's splendid," said the doctor. "If Barry has given you his promise
he will keep it; I never knew him break his word."