THE NUGGET IN DANGER.
The tramp, who has already been introduced to the reader, had spent the
evening at the gambling house, having come into possession, during the
day, of a small sum of money, given him by a compassionate miner. He had
risked it, and for a time been successful, so that at the end of an hour
he might have left off with twenty pounds. But the fatal fascination of
the game drew him on till all his winnings melted away, and he left the
cabin at midnight without a penny in his pocket, so far as he knew.
There was, however, a shilling which he had overlooked, and did not
discover till he was already some distance away. He was tempted to
return, and probably would have done so, had not his roving eyes
discovered Obed and the two boys returning from their claim with the
nugget.
"What are they up to," he asked himself in amazement, "that keeps them
out of bed till after midnight? There's something up. I wonder what it
is."
He had reason to be surprised. With the exception of those who, like
himself, spent the night in gambling (when he was in funds), no one in
the camp was awake or stirring. And of all, none kept more regular hours
than Obed and the two boys.
Casting about for some explanation, the tramp's attention was drawn to
the burden that Obed carried.
"What can it be?" he asked himself wonderingly. Then, with a flash of
conviction, he said to himself: "A nugget! They've found a nugget as
sure as I'm a sinner!"
The tramp was intensely excited. His covetous soul was stirred to its
depths. The opportunity he had been waiting for so long had come at
length. It meant fortune for him. Qualms of conscience about
appropriating the property of another troubled him not at all. He meant
to have the nugget, by fair means or foul.
The would-be thief understood well, however, that there would be
difficulties in the way of accomplishing his design. Obed and the two
boys were broad awake, and half an hour--perhaps an hour, must elapse
before he could feel sure that they would be asleep. In the meantime it
would be best to keep away from the cabin, lest someone inside might see
him lurking near, and suspect his purpose.
While he is keeping watch from a distance, let us enter the cabin.
Obed and the boys are sitting on their rude pallets, congratulating
themselves on having secured the nugget, and removed it from the mine
unobserved. Harry had made a remark to that effect, when Obed Stackpole
responded, "Do you know, boys, I feel sort of uneasy to-night."
"Why?" asked Jack.
"I'm afraid someone might have seen us on our way from the mine."
"I couldn't see anybody," Harry remarked.
"Nor I, but there may have been someone, nevertheless. The fact is, I
never expected to be uneasy on account of my wealth, but that's the way
the case stands just at present. When we were poor I slept like a top."
"I suppose you wouldn't care to get rid of your care by throwing the
nugget away," Harry said with a smile.
"I'm not so uneasy as that yet, but I should feel a little safer if we
and the nugget could be transported to Melbourne in five minutes."
"Suppose someone did see us?" queried Jack.
"Then we may expect a visit some time tonight."
"One of us might remain awake, Obed."
"That would be rather hard on us, for we are all tired. I don't believe
I could stay awake all night if I tried."
"Is there any way of concealing the nugget?"
"I don't know. If we had a cellar that would be a good place, but----"
"Stop, I have an idea!" cried Harry eagerly.
"Well, Harry, out with it."
"We can put the nugget in the trunk."
There was an old trunk, covered with hair, which had been left by the
last occupant of the cabin. The lock was broken, and it was not of much
use or value, but the boys occasionally used it as a seat.
"What security would that be?" said Obed. "It is easy enough to open the
trunk."
"I know it, but I have another idea. Wrap up that stone in the
handkerchief in place of the nugget. The thief--if one should
come--would see it, and make off with it without stopping to examine its
contents."
Obed smiled grimly.
"That's a good idea," he said. "I believe you're right, boy. It's dark,
and the thief couldn't tell the difference till he came to examine it."
Stones and fragments of rock are rare in that part of Australia, and I
am not prepared to explain how this particular rock found its way into
the mining village. The boys had found it, however, and thinking it
might be of some use had carried it to the cabin. Never, however, in
their wildest imaginings had it entered into their minds to conceive the
use to which they were now putting it.
No sooner said than done. The nugget was taken from the enfolding
bandanna, and dropped into the trunk, which Obed placed at the head of
his pallet.
"I wish there was a lock and key," he said. "I should somehow feel
safer."
"It's no use wishing," said Harry. "We've got to take things as we find
them."
"That's true philosophy, boy. Now get the rock, and tie it up."
Harry did so.
"Where shall I put it?" he asked.
"Anywhere where it can be seen easily. We won't trouble the thief to
look round much. We'll make everything easy for him."
When the transfer was effected, the boys laughed with glee.
"Do you know, Obed," said Harry. "I shall be rather disappointed now if
the thief doesn't come."
"I can get along without him," said Obed dryly.
"But it'll be such a good joke, Obed."
"I don't care so much about jokes as I did when I was your age, Harry. I
used to be a great feller for jokes when I was along in my teens. Did I
ever tell you the joke I played on the schoolmaster?
"Well, I was attendin' the district school the winter I was sixteen, and
I expect I was rather troublesome, though there wasn't anything
downright bad about me. But I remember one day when I stuck a bent pin
in the chair the master usually sot in, and I shan't forget till my
dyin' day how quick he riz up when he sot down on it."
Obed chuckled at the recollection, and so did the boys. Their sympathies
ought to have been with the schoolmaster, but I am sorry to say that did
not prevent their enjoying the joke.
"Were you found out?" asked Jack.
"Not exactly, but I think the master always suspected me. At any rate he
was always cuffin' me and pullin' my hair. I didn't mind the fust so
much as the last. So one day I got my mother to cut my hair close to my
head. When I went to school the master gave me a queer look. He knew
what made me have my hair cut. The next time I got into mischief he
called me up, and instead of pullin' my hair he pulled my ears till I
hollered. 'Now go home and get your ears cut off,' he said, but I
didn't."
"It seems to me the joke was on you that time, Obed."
"I've surmised as much myself," said Obed, laughing quietly. "But I'm
tired, boys, and I believe I shall have to go off to sleep, nugget or no
nugget."
"All right! Good-night, Obed."
"Good-night, boys."