STRIKING LUCK.
"Now, boys," said Obed, "we have some hard work before us. Mining isn't
like standing behind a counter, or measuring off calico. It takes
considerable 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 charge
either of us with laziness."
"I believe you, boys. There isn't a lazy bone in either of you. As I
have experience, I'll boss the job, and all you'll have to do will be to
obey orders."
"All right, captain!" said Jack, touching his cap, with a smile.
This, then, was the understanding between the three, and it was
faithfully adhered to. The two boys, sensible of their ignorance, were
very ready to obey Obed, and he found them willing workers. They
installed themselves in a cabin which had been occupied by the man they
bought out. He gave them the use of it, having no further occasion for
it himself, and they began to keep house as one family. They lived
roughly enough, and yet, so high were all articles of food, on account
of the trouble and expense of transportation from Melbourne, that it
cost them as much as would have paid for living at a respectable hotel
in the States.
All three entered upon their labors with high hopes. The first day and
the second day yielded no results, but, as Obed reminded them, a miner
needs to be patient. But when one week--two weeks--passed, and the
amount of gold found amounted to less than ten dollars, all three began
to look sober.
"This is beginning to look serious, boys," said Obed thoughtfully, as
they set about their work on the first day of the third week. "Our claim
aint pannin' out very rich."
"My store of money is panning out very fast," said Harry, with a faint
smile.
"I've got less than two pounds left," said Jack. "What are we going to
do 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 nearly
ten 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 our
reason for selling--that we despaired of finding any gold--and instead
of getting twenty-five pounds, I doubt if you could get twenty-five
shillings for it. You know about how long twenty-five shillings would
last 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'll
decide 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 a
successful effort, but it made them feel a little more cheerful. At all
events it attracted a listener--a tall, shabby-looking tramp, who had
been 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 a
lounging attitude watching the little party at their work.
"If we are it's a credit to us," returned Obed dryly, "for there isn't
much 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'd
found something."
"We are safe from robbery for the present." said Harry.
"Yes, there's that advantage about being poor. It reminds me of old Jack
Pierce in our village."
"What about him?" asked Harry.
"He read in the paper one day that a certain bank had burst. So he went
home in a hurry to see if he had any bills on that bank. He found that
he 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 a
sermon from our minister at home in which he said that riches were a
great responsibility, but I don't think I should mind taking the
responsibility."
"That's my idee, Harry. I am afraid there isn't much chance of our
having that responsibility, but there's one thing we can do if we don't
make 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 little
longer. But I'm gettin' tuckered out. We'll go and get some dinner and
then start diggin' again."
They repaired to their cabin, and solaced themselves with food. Then
they threw themselves down in the shadow of the cabin to rest, and Obed
pulled out his pipe. This was a solace which the boys didn't enjoy. They
were sensible enough to know, that, whatever may be said of men, boys
only receive injury from the use of tobacco. In the resolution to
abstain, they were upheld and encouraged by Obed, who, veteran smoker as
he 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 of
thirteen when I used to slink off to the barn and smoke, for I knew
father wouldn't let me if he knew it. It made me sick at first, but I
thought it was makin' a man of me, and I kept on. Well, the habit's on
me 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 chew
once. 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. Their
conversation was generally of one tenor. They liked to fancy themselves
returning with plenty of money, and planned how they would act under
such pleasant circumstances. Instead of the barren hills among which
they were encamped, familiar scenes and faces rose before them, and the
picture was so attractive that it was hard to come back to the cheerless
reality.
"Well, boys," said Obed, at the end of an hour, "we may as well go to
work again. The gold's waitin' for us."
It was an old joke, and scarcely elicited a smile now. In fact, the boys
felt that they had waited a long time for the gold. It was not,
therefore, with a very hopeful feeling that they obeyed the summons and
returned to the claim. Though of a sanguine disposition, they began to
doubt seriously whether their efforts would ever be rewarded. They had
pretty much lost the stimulus of hope.
About four o'clock, when Jack was at work with the pick, something
curious happened. Instead of sinking into the earth it glanced off, as
from 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 he
immediately 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 wait
till 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 want
to buy the claim?"
"Not I," and the tramp, quite deceived by his manner, kept on his
round.