THE MIDNIGHT ROBBERY.
The thief had little difficulty in entering the cabin. No one in the
mining settlement thought of locking the outer door or closing the
windows. In many cases the doors were left ajar; in some cases there
were none. It was not necessary, therefore, to become a housebreaker.
Entrance then was the least difficulty.
The tramp, however, was not quite easy in his mind. He didn't care for
the two boys, but he glanced with apprehension at the reclining figure
of the tall gaunt Yankee, who was thin but wiry, and possessed of more
than ordinary physical strength.
"If he should tackle me," thought the midnight visitor with a shudder,
"it would be all up with me. He could shake the life out of me."
But the stake was a valuable one--it would in all probability make him
comfortable for life, if judiciously husbanded--and Obed's slumber
seemed so profound that there appeared to be no risk. Nevertheless the
tramp trembled, and his heart was in his mouth as he stealthily got in
through the open window, and moved toward the nugget, or what he
supposed to be such. He had one eye on Obed as he reached for the
bundle. It was with difficulty that he could lift it, so heavy was it,
but this only encouraged him, and made his eyes sparkle covetously. The
heavier it was, the more valuable it must be. Were it twice as heavy, he
would be willing to carry it ten miles, enduring cheerfully all the
fatigue it might entail. No thought of the rightful owners or of their
disappointment disturbed him. That greed of gain which hardens the heart
and banishes all scruples, held firm dominion over him.
He lifted the bundle, and as noiselessly as he entered he made his
egress through the window.
He thought he was unobserved, but he was mistaken.
Harry Vane was usually a heavy sleeper. He had slept through many a
thunder-storm at home, and under ordinary circumstances he would have
slept through this entire night. But the thought of the nugget, even in
his sleeping hours, weighed upon him and entered into his dreams.
Singularly, he was dreaming at this very moment that it was being
stolen, and in the intensity of his excitement all at once he became
broad awake, just as the thief was disappearing through the window. With
a startled look he glanced toward the place where the false nugget had
been placed.
It was gone!
Evidently the thief had been taken in, and the thought amused him so
much that he almost unconsciously laughed aloud. The sound fell on the
ears of the receding thief, and filled his heart with apprehension,
though he fancied it was a sound emitted in sleep. Still, it might
precede awakening.
Once out of the window he did not stand upon the order of his going, but
fled with a speed remarkable considering the weight of the bundle he
carried.
Harry rose from his bed, and though he felt sure the thief had been
deceived, he still, in order to make sure, opened the trunk and felt for
the lump of gold. With a thrill of joy he found it still there. Then he
could give way to his sense of amusement, and laughed long and loud. He
did not, however, arouse Jack and Obed, who, like himself, were sound
sleepers. He didn't like, however, to have all the amusement to himself,
so he shook the Yankee till he awoke.
"What's the matter?" asked Obed, in a drowsy tone.
"We've been robbed," answered Harry.
"What!" exclaimed Mr. Stackpole in dismay, bounding from his pallet, now
thoroughly awake. "What is that you say?"
"The nugget is gone!" said Harry.
"Confusion!" ejaculated Obed. "When? Who took it?"
"Don't be alarmed, Obed," said Harry quietly. "It's only the bogus
nugget. The real one is safe where we hid it."
"Tell me all about it, Harry. What skunk has been in here?"
"You know the man that was spying about our claim--the tramp."
"Did you see him?"
"Not till he was just getting out of the window."
Harry recounted briefly his sudden awakening, and the sight that greeted
him as he opened his eyes.
"I wish I'd been awake. I'd have boosted him out of that window," said
Obed grimly.
"I have no doubt you would, Obed," said Harry, laughing, "but I think we
needn't feel much of a grudge against the poor fellow. When he comes to
examine his booty by daylight, it's my impression he'll feel sick
enough."
Obed laughed too. "I'd like to be looking on when he makes the
discovery," he said. "He'll look green enough, I guess."
"How could the fellow have found out that we had found it?" said Harry,
with a puzzled expression.
"He must have been out late and seen us coming from the mine."
"It is lucky we thought of hiding it, and leaving the rock in its place,
Obed."
"That's so. The rock came in handy for once."
"Do you think there is any danger of another visit to-night?"
"No; he probably won't discover how he has been tricked till morning."
"And even if he does he may suppose that this rock is what we brought
with us."
"Possibly. Still, Harry, I think we'd better keep awake and watch
to-night. It will only be for one night, as to-morrow we can make
arrangements to send the nugget by express to Melbourne."
"I thought we should be carrying it there ourselves."
"No, it would not be safe. To-morrow everybody will know that we have
found a nugget, and if we attempted to carry it ourselves we should not
get ten miles away without being attacked, and perhaps killed."
"Then we can send it by express?" queried Harry.
"Yes, I have inquired into this--not that I thought we would be lucky
enough to need the information. The government escorts charge one per
cent., and besides the Crown exacts a royalty of ten per cent."
"That's pretty steep, isn't it, Obed?"
"I will cheerfully bear my part of it," said Obed. "I remember there was
an old fellow in our place who owned considerable property--at any rate
he was taxed for fifteen thousand dollars. Whenever taxes became due he
was always groanin' and predictin' that he'd end his days in the
poorhouse. My father, who was only taxed for fifteen hundred, said to
him one day, 'Mr. Higgins, if you'll give me half of your property, I'll
agree to pay taxes on the whole, so that you'll have nothing to pay.'"
"Did he accept?" asked Harry, with a smile.
"Not much, but he stopped growlin'. It may have given him a new idea of
the matter."
"How soon do you think of getting away, Obed?"
"As soon as we have sold the claim," answered the Yankee. "When it gets
reported round the camp what we've found there'll be plenty that'll want
to buy it on speculation, you may be sure of that."
"I didn't think of that," said Harry, his eyes brightening. "We're
luckier than I thought."
"Yes," answered Obed jocularly, "we're men of property now. I'm afraid
we'll have to pay taxes ourselves when we get home."