"Did you part company with him then?"
"No; he pretended he had been in search of matches, and I pretended to believe it, but kept a good look-out. Last evening we stopped at the Travellers" Rest, and Harry, here, overheard him and the landlord out in the woods concocting a scheme to rob us, so I just told the gentleman his room was better than his company, and he cleared out."
"I am afraid he will turn up again," said Granger apprehensively.
"We"ll try to be ready for him," said Obed coolly, "but I don"t mean to borrow any trouble."
By this time their new acquaintance had satisfied his hunger. He turned gratefully to Obed Stackpole.
"How can I thank you for your great kindness?" he said earnestly. "I feel that you have saved my life."
"Tut, tut." said Obed, "I"ve only done as you would have done in my place. Obed Stackpole isn"t the man to let anyone go hungry when he has enough and to spare. But finish your story, my friend. How long is it since you parted company with that skunk, Fletcher?"
"I think it is only seven days, but it has seemed a month."
"And didn"t you meet anybody humane enough to relieve your hunger?".
"Yes, during the first four days, but not for the last three. Part of the time I lost my way, and did not meet anyone. I hope you will never know such torments as I have known in that time."
"Amen to that! And now, my friend, what are your plans?"
"I should like to go back to Melbourne," said the stranger hesitatingly.
"If you say so, we"ll fit you out with three days" provisions, and you can push on."
"I hardly like to go alone."
"I am sorry, for your sake, that we are going the other way. You see we haven"t made our pile yet, and must go on. I wish we were on our way back, with our pockets well lined. Although you have been robbed, you"ve got a good sum waiting for you in Melbourne."
"True; I shall be all right when I get there, but as I am at present situated, it seems very uncertain when I shall have that good fortune."
"I"ll tell you what you"d better do, Granger. Come along with us, and join the first party we meet bound for the city. You will, at all events, be sure of your victuals till then."
"I believe your advice to be good, and will accept your kind invitation.
When I met you I was about worn out, but the tea and food have put new life in me, and my strength has returned."
After an hour"s halt, the little party resumed their march. They were compelled to go so slowly, in consequence of the difficulties of the way, not caring, of course, to get ahead of the oxen, that Granger was easily able to keep up. He proved to be a pleasant addition to the party, and all were glad to have exchanged Fletcher for him. They were not destined to travel long together, however, for before nightfall they fell in with a party of eight persons bound for Melbourne. The two parties halted, and had a conference. Granger"s story being told, they agreed to let him join their party, in consideration of a fair compensation which he agreed to make on his arrival at Melbourne.
"Good-by, Granger," said Obed, as they parted. "I think you"re all right now. I wish you good luck for the balance of your journey."
"Thank you, Mr. Stackpole," said Granger, grasping the Yankee"s hand cordially. "If I do, I shall feel that I am indebted to you for my good fortune. I shudder to think what would have been my fate if I hadn"t fallen in with you."
"Then don"t think of it! Good-by. Perhaps we shall meet again."
Granger also shook hands with Harry and Jack, and so they parted on the best of terms.
"I wonder whether we shall meet with any more of that mean skunk Fletcher"s victims," said Obed. "He"s in a pretty mean business."
"There"s no doubt about that," said Harry. "I"d rather live poor all my life than live by fleecing my neighbors."
Toward the close of the day they entered a much pleasanter country. In place of sandy clay, baked hard in the sun, alternating here and there with a moist bog, they came to tall gra.s.s, trees of great height, and meadows suitable for grazing. The cattle revelled in the rich feed, and Obed suffered them to eat their fill, feeling that they had worked hard and deserved it. Though it was rather earlier than usual, they decided to encamp for the night near the margin of a creek, shaded by trees of a gigantic size.
Harry looked longingly at the clear stream, and a vision rose before him of a pond in his native town where he had been accustomed to bathe.
"Jack," said he, "let"s have a swim."
"I"m with you," said Jack promptly. "I"ll bet you a shilling I"ll be in the water first."
"I"ll make a try for it anyway." But Jack, being more simply dressed, was as good as his word, and plunged into the creek first. Harry was scarcely half a minute behind. The boys swam, dived, and frolicked as boys of their age will, and were loath to come out at the last. After their experience of mud and heat the bath seemed to them delicious.
"I haven"t enjoyed myself so much since I came to Australia," said Harry with a deep sigh of satisfaction. "I wish I could have a bath every evening."
"So do I," said Jack; "I mean to have another to-morrow morning."
They slept soundly all night, but early in the morning, as consciousness returned, Harry was startled by the sound of hearty laughter. He looked at Jack and Obed in amazement, but both were fast asleep. Indeed, the sound seemed to come from above. He looked up into the tree beneath which they had encamped, but could see no person concealed among the branches. He did, however, notice a peculiar looking bird, and it dawned upon him that the laughter proceeded from it. He remembered now to have heard of the bird peculiar to Australia, popularly known as "the laughing jacka.s.s." This was the first chance he had had of hearing it, and he woke up Obed and Jack to hear it also.
"That beats all I ever heard," said Mr. Stackpole. "I wish he"d tell us what"s the joke, and we"ll laugh too."
This was not the only sound they heard. A flock of white c.o.c.katoos were roosting on the tree, and favored the party with their dissonant cries.
They are described as having "most sharp and rasping voices."
"If that"s singing," said Obed. "I shan"t be afraid to try it myself."
"Don"t you sing, Mr. Stackpole?" asked Jack, smiling.
"I thought I could once, when I was in my teens. I attended a singing school, and went in the attic one Sunday mornin" to practise. Soon my father was at the foot of the stairs, and asked me what I meant by sawin" boards up in the attic Sunday mornin"."
Of course the boys laughed, but in spite of Obed"s disclaimer thought they would prefer listening to him to the c.o.c.katoos.
They got ready to move at seven, the boys having made sure of a bath first. They were not destined to proceed far, however. About ten o"clock, as they were skirting the woods, six men on horseback rode out from the leafy covert. They seemed inclined to dispute the pa.s.sage of the party.
"What can they want?" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Harry, with a startled look.
"I expect they are bushrangers," said Obed.
CHAPTER X.
FLETCHER TURNS UP AGAIN.
Harry didn"t need to be told that bushrangers in Australia correspond to bandits in Italy and highwaymen in other countries. The escaped convicts and desperate characters who are naturally attracted to a new country, readily adopted the wild and lawless life of the bushrangers. Stories of their outrages were common enough, and among the dangers apprehended in a journey to or from the mines, that of meeting with a party of this gentry was perhaps the most dreaded.
Though Obed Stackpole betrayed no emotion, but was outwardly quiet, his heart sank within him when he saw the bushrangers strung along the road.
"I guess our trip to the mines must be given up," said he in a low voice to Harry.
Meanwhile Harry had been scanning the faces of the men who confronted them, and made a surprising discovery.