"Found a nugget, they tell me," interpolated Ropes. "How big was it?"

"Weighs about seventy-five pounds!"

"That is luck!" said Colson, with a sickly smile. He could scarcely help groaning as he thought of his loss.

"Well, yes, it is tolerable hefty. I reckon me and the boys will be able to take it easy for a few years. But we came near losin' it, after all."

"How's that?" Colson asked, but he did not venture to meet Obed's glance.

"Some skunk saw us bringin' back the nugget, and prowled round till he thought we was all asleep. Then he got into the cabin and carried it off. That is, he thought he did, but we was a little too sharp for him.

We tied up a big rock in my handkerchief, and I guess he had a sweet time carryin' it off."

"Ha, ha! A good joke!" said Colson, but his laughter was mirthless.

"I thought you'd enjoy the joke, squire," said Obed. "How I pity the poor fellow! His arms must ache with luggin' the old rock. The best of it is we know the fellow that took it."

"You do?" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Colson, his jaw dropping.

"Yes, Harry woke up just in the nick of time and saw him scootin' out of the cabin. If I should tell the boys 'round here, I reckon they'd lynch him!" added Obed quietly.

"Just so," a.s.sented Colson, but his face was of a sickly hue, and taking Ropes by the arm he hurried him away.

"That fellow's well scared," said Obed, turning to his two young companions. "I reckon he'll make himself scarce till we're out of the way."

CHAPTER x.x.x.

THE TWO CONSPIRATORS.

Obed and the boys made arrangements to travel with the party sent by the commissioner as an escort to the nugget and other sums intrusted to it by different miners. The strong guard gave them a sense of security which they would not have had under other circ.u.mstances.

They were all in high spirits. They were no longer penniless adventurers, but, though not rich, were possessed of enough gold to make them feel so. Now that they were well fixed they were all filled with a strong desire to see their home across the sea.

"I suppose, Obed, you'll be getting married soon after you reach home?"

said Harry.

"The very first thing I shall do will be to pay off the mortgage on dad's farm," said Mr. Stackpole. "I want to see him a free man, with a home that can't be taken from him. Then I'll look after the other matter."

"You are right, Obed. I only wish I had a father to help and care for,"

said Harry soberly.

"I've got a step-father," said Jack, "but I don't feel much like helping him."

"You have a mother, Jack."

"Yes, but I shall have to be careful about giving her money, for her husband would get it away from her before long."

"Well, boys, we won't borrow trouble before the time comes. For all I know Suke Stanwood may have got tired of waitin' for me, and married some other feller."

"In that case, Obed, I suppose you would die of a broken heart."

"Not much, but I don't mind sayin' that I should feel uncommon blue."

Two days elapsed before Obed and his party started on their return trip.

Meanwhile Colson and Ropes had disappeared. The boys had expected to see them about the camp, but they had vanished.

"I wonder what has become of them?" said Harry, just as they were starting.

"I reckon they're hatchin' some new mischief, wherever they are,"

returned Obed composedly. "You maybe sure they're not engaged in any honest work."

"Perhaps Colson is trying to sell his nugget," suggested Jack with a smile.

"He's welcome to all he can get for it," said Obed.

Obed was very near the truth in his conjecture. Their greed was excited by thoughts of the nugget which our three friends had discovered, and their brains were busied with plans for obtaining possession of it. The chances didn't seem very encouraging. It was under strong escort, and it would be sheer madness for the two to attack an armed party. It would require a much larger force than they could command to make an attack at all practicable.

With no special plans, but with the hope that something would turn up in their favor, the two men started for Melbourne in advance of the government party. They were indebted for the requisite funds to a successful theft by Colson, who was an expert in his line. It is unnecessary to chronicle their daily progress. We will look in upon them on the fourth day.

They were making toilsome progress, over the boggy road, when all at once they were confronted by three bushrangers headed by Fletcher.

"Surrender, or you are dead men!" exclaimed Fletcher, with a boldness which will be easily understood when it is considered that his force outnumbered the travellers two to one.

Neither Colson nor Ropes appeared to be frightened. Indeed, they were looking for such an encounter.

"All right, gentlemen," said Ropes quietly. "We are quite ready to surrender."

"Empty your pockets," was the next order.

"All right again!" said Ropes. "I am sorry to say we haven't much to surrender."

"Is this all you have?" asked Fletcher, frowning when a pound and ten shillings were delivered to him as their united contributions to the bushrangers' fund.

"We haven't a penny more."

"Search them!" said Fletcher to his followers.

A search, however, failed to bring to light anything more.

"Why, you poor tramps!" exclaimed Fletcher in disgust. "You are unworthy the attention of gentlemen."

"Perhaps not, captain," answered Colson. "May I have a word with you in private?"

Not without suspicion Fletcher granted this unexpected request, and stepped aside with Colson a few paces, taking care, however, to keep near enough to his party to insure his safety.

"Well, what have you to say?" he asked abruptly.