CHAPTER XXIV.

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 compa.s.sionate 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 un.o.bserved. 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."