A VICTIM OF TREACHERY.
All the party felt relieved to be rid of Fletcher. Without being able to
prove anything against him, all believed him to be unworthy of
confidence. Now they were a united party, and whatever might be the
hardships of the trip they were ready to sympathize and co-operate with
each other.
They had already learned that it was no holiday trip they had
undertaken. The bogs have already been referred to. In addition the heat
was oppressive in the middle of the day. Then the numerous insects that
infest Australia--the ants, flies, and scorpions--were most troublesome.
They had to be very careful to avoid being bitten, for the bite of any
these is severe and dangerous. On the day succeeding their parting from
Fletcher they accomplished but six miles, the road being unusually
swampy.
"I feel about tuckered out," said Obed, about the middle of the
afternoon, just after he had extricated the team, by great personal
effort, from a morass. "If I'd 'a' known as much of the country before
startin' I wouldn't have started at all."
"It's a long road that has no ending," said Harry, smiling. He, too, was
very tired, but youth is hopeful.
"It's the worst country I ever travelled in, by a long shot. If I ever
make my pile, I'll take the first steamer back to Frisco."
"Who's that?" suddenly exclaimed Jack.
Obed and Harry, looking up, saw a forlorn-looking figure approaching
them. It was a man of middle age, and emaciated in appearance, looking
the image of despair. He tottered rather than walked, from exceeding
weakness.
"For Heaven's sake give me something to eat! I am almost famished," he
cried.
"Why, certainly, friend," answered Obed, rising and advancing to meet
the stranger. "We don't keep a first-class hotel, but you're welcome to
what we've got. Are you travellin' alone?"
"Yes, if you call it travelling. I've been dragging myself along for
several days, hoping to find somebody that would give me aid."
"Well, you've found somebody. Here, sit down, for you don't seem able to
stand, and we'll provide for you. Harry, bring some biscuit and cold
meat, won't you, and Jack had better build a fire. A cup of tea will put
new life into you, my friend."
The biscuit were soaked in water and given to the stranger. He devoured
them like a man in the last stages of hunger.
"Go slow, my friend. Your stomach must be weak," said Obed.
"If you only knew the gnawing at my vitals," said the new-comer. "I have
not tasted food for three days."
"I never was in that fix, though I did go hungry for twenty-four hours
once in Californy. You'd better believe I pitched in when I got to where
victuals were."
"How did that happen, Mr. Stackpole?" asked Harry.
"I was lost in the mountains," answered Obed, "and couldn't find any
trace of a livin' creature except an old miser, who pointed a musket at
me, and didn't dare to let me into his hut. I don't think I could have
stood it three days."
"That goes to the right spot," said the stranger, after he had gulped
down two cups of tea. "Now I'm ready to die without complaining."
"If it's all the same to you, I think you'd better get ready to live,"
said Obed.
"I'd rather die now than suffer as I have done in the last three days,"
"You won't have to. We've got plenty and to spare."
"But I have no money. I have been robbed of everything."
"Robbed! How is that?"
"It's rather a long story. You may not have patience to hear it."
"We've got time enough, and patience enough, but perhaps you don't feel
strong enough to talk."
"I didn't before you relieved my hunger. The food and the tea have put
new life into me, as you predicted they would."
"Then go ahead, stranger. We're all anxious to hear your story."
"I am an Englishman," began the unknown, "and my name is Ralph Granger.
When the report reached England of the richness of the Australian
gold-fields, I sold out my business, and was among the first to come out
here. By the sale of my business I realized about five hundred pounds.
Three hundred I left with my wife--I have no children--to keep her while
I was gone. It is very fortunate that I took this precaution and left
her so well provided for, since, had I brought all my money with me, it
would all have been lost."
The three adventurers looked at each other soberly. The ill fortune of
their new acquaintance did not augur very well for their good fortune.
"Then you had bad luck," said Harry inquiringly.
"On the contrary I had good luck," replied the stranger.
"Good luck!" repeated Harry in surprise. "Then how----"
"How did I come into this plight? That is what you were about to ask?"
"Yes."
"You will soon learn. On reaching this country I was in doubt whether to
go to Ballarat or Bendigo, but finally decided upon the latter."
"We are bound for Bendigo," said Jack.
"So I inferred. Ballarat is in a different direction. Very well, I
reached Bendigo three months since. For a time I was unlucky. I found
next to no gold, and the prices of living used up about all the money I
had left after the expense of getting there. Just when I was on the
point of giving up in despair my luck turned. I made a strike, and
during the next six weeks I unearthed gold to the value of a thousand
pounds."
"That certainly wasn't bad luck."
"It was extraordinarily good luck, and naturally drew the attention of
the rest of the camp. This was unfortunate, for in such a settlement, as
may well be supposed, there are many reckless adventurers, ex-convicts,
and men utterly destitute of principle."
"Then you were robbed at the camp?"
"Not then nor there. I took the precaution to send the greater part of
my money to Melbourne by experts. Destitute and lost, I have six hundred
pounds in Melbourne awaiting my arrival, but for all that, I should
probably have starved to death but for my opportune meeting with you."
"Come, then, you've got something to live for, after all," said Obed.
"Yes, you are right. Let me once get to Melbourne and I am all right. I
shall buy a passage ticket to Liverpool, and carry with me the balance
of my money. With all that I have lost I shall go home richer than I
came."
"But how did you lose your money?" asked Jack, who was eager to have his
curiosity gratified.
"When I got ready to leave the gold-fields, there was no party which I
could join. I did not like to go alone. In this emergency a man who had
been working an adjoining claim offered to go with me. He professed to
have been fortunate, and to be ready to go back to the city. I saw no
reason to distrust him, and accepted his proposal. We bought each a
horse, made other preparations, and set out together. He won upon my
confidence, and I told him everything. He was very comfortably fixed
himself, he told me, and was glad he had fallen in with me, as he had
been afraid of being robbed on the journey. All went pleasantly for
three days, but on the morning of the fourth day when I awoke I found
myself alone. A little startled, I felt for my gold, which I carried in
a belt around my waist. It was gone, and so was my horse. Of course you
guess how it happened. My companion had robbed me during the night, and
left me in the woods utterly destitute."
"What was the name of your companion?" asked Obed quickly.
"He called himself Fletcher."
"I thought so!" exclaimed Obed, slapping his leg with emphasis. "We know
the gentleman a little ourselves."