The Gold Hunters' Adventures Part 29

"Silence, you miserable traitor!" shouted the exasperated officer, "or I shall be tempted to beat you with my whip."

"I don't see what this cove has done, that he should be s.n.a.t.c.hed up and lugged off this way. P'aps Mr. Sherman, who owns this stock-house, won't scold when he comes to hear of it. He won't say nothing, and swear to think that his cattle is all running wild, 'cos n.o.body takes care of 'um."

"Lend me your whip, Smith," Murden said, as the fellow raised his voice in a sort of howl, at the thought of being carried away from the hut which had sheltered and screened his rascalities for so many years.

Smith handed the short-handled instrument of torture to the officer, who waved it over his head with a scientific flourish, like one accustomed to its use, and in another instant Bimbo would have had something to cry for, but the cunning rogue ducked his head just in time to escape punishment. The long lash pa.s.sed over his body, and cracked like the report of a pistol; and while the officer was drawing back his arm for another attempt, the impudent, dirty face of the rogue was raised, and a leer of contemptuous pity expressed upon it.

Neither Fred nor myself could prevent laughing at the fellow's coolness, and our mirth extended to Murden, who began to be aware that he was making a ridiculous exhibition of his temper, and tossed the stockman's whip to the owner, exclaiming,--

"I was foolish to allow the fellow to provoke me, and am glad that I did not touch him with the lash; although if he had not been as quick as lightning, I'd have taken a good piece of his hide."

"But what are we to do with the parrot? Remember we are losing time," I said.

"Yes, what's to be done with me--where's Bimbo?" shrieked the bird.

"Put the cage into the cart--he will excite curiosity when we reach Melbourne, and perhaps bring a round sum."

The order was obeyed, and with shrill screams of delight the bird and his cage were stowed among the prisoners, and long after dark we could hear the talkative parrot ask the bushrangers how they felt, and when they were going to die? Questions of great significance to them at the time. After a while he dozed off to sleep, but during the night awoke about once every half hour, and with a shout of,--

"Where's Bimbo--darn Bimbo--lazy Bimbo!" and then would drop off to sleep again.

At about nine o'clock we reached "Boomerang stream," the same place where we had witnessed the natives of Australia gorge themselves with kangaroo meat until stuffed to repletion. The place was alive with oxen and stockmen, and carts filled with stores on their way to the mines.

Many of the drivers had just arrived, having been on the road from Melbourne all night, and were turning their cattle loose, intending to pa.s.s the day by the side of the stream, for the purpose of recruiting, and avoiding the heat of the noonday sun.

We forded the river, the waters of which were not more than twelve inches deep, and with many flourishes of his immense whip, Smith drew up his cattle directly under the shade of a friendly tree growing near the bank.

Before the cattle were turned loose, we were surrounded by anxious inquirers desirous of asking a dozen questions regarding the safety of the country, and what the men whom we had ironed had been guilty of.

Murden, who was both cross and hungry by his night's ride, attempted to satisfy their curiosity by replying; but he might just as well have attempted to dam a river with a sieve; and the few words which he spoke were almost lost in the confusion.

"We shall never get any breakfast or rest at this rate," he whispered to Fred and me, "so lend us a hand to clear the ground, and then I'll keep them at a distance, or break their necks."

We mounted our horses, and telling the stockmen, miners, adventurers like ourselves, speculators, and two or three fat old fellows, who were visiting their cattle-raising districts to see how their stock thrived, that we feared some of them were in league with bushrangers, and that we would have no one that did not belong to our force inside of the lines at present, drove them back until we had cleared a sufficient s.p.a.ce for our convenience, and then the men stretched a rope from two posts, and inside of that barrier no one dared to venture without permission.

"Hullo, you feller with the blue flannel s.h.i.+rt," cried one of the rough-looking outsiders, addressing Fred, "did you do any thing towards grabbing them ere chaps?" alluding to our prisoners.

"Them ere two fellers is hextry policemen, I suppose," cried a newly arrived c.o.c.kney, with great staring eyes, watching our movements as eagerly as though we were wild animals confined for his especial amus.e.m.e.nt.

"I wonder if the stealings are good in that department?" asked another.

"Do you hear, Murden?" Fred inquired, with a laugh, and a thought how appropriate the question was under the circ.u.mstances.

"Curse the fellow's impudence," muttered the lieutenant; "but I'll learn him a lesson that he'll remember for a few days," he continued; and then turning to Maurice who was unsaddling his horse, he said,--

"Take a man with you and arrest that blackguard. I suspect him to be a bushranger in disguise."

The policeman abandoned his horse on the instant, grasped his carbine, spoke a word to a companion, and before the inquisitive genius, who wished to know whether the stealings in the police force were good, had a chance to think of his unfortunate remark, he was in custody, and threatened with instant death if he even made a movement towards resistance. He was hustled before the commander of the corps, and with an indignant look and bl.u.s.tering voice, wanted to know for what he was seized.

"You think that I don't know you," said Murden, in a tone of pretended sternness, "but you are mistaken. You are Sam Firefly, the leader of a gang of bushrangers. I knew you the instant that I got sight of your face."

"So help me G.o.d, I'm not--I don't know the gentleman you speak of. I'm a stranger here--I only arrived in Australia week before last;--for G.o.d's sake let me go, and I won't do any thing but what you wish me to;"

and the fellow wrung his hands, and looked the very picture of woe and fright.

"I think I'd better order you to be shot, for if I should let you off, and find that you are Sam after all, I should always regret it," the lieutenant said, with mock gravity.

"Don't shoot me; please don't--I never hurt anyone in my life. I'm only in the country to make my fortune, and when I get it I'll leave. I swear that I will."

"On those conditions, then, I will let you go--but remember, I shall have an eye on you hereafter."

The fellow expressed his thanks in a confused manner, and darted from the enclosure, and during the remainder of our stay at the stream we did not hear an impudent remark concerning our blue flannel s.h.i.+rts or the perquisites of Australian policemen. The heterogeneous maps were suddenly struck with Murden's display of authority, backed as it was by about a dozen men, well armed and ready to do his bidding without a question or murmur.

Fires were lighted and kettles soon boiling, and the smell of burning meat, as it crackled on the coals, made not only the hound but the weary guard look with eager eyes for the call to breakfast.

CHAPTER XVII.

TRIUMPHAL ENTRY INTO MELBOURNE.

In spite of the intense heat and dust which greeted our arrival at "Boomerang stream," we managed to sleep for a few hours, and then, after a bath in the river, felt somewhat refreshed, and were anxious to proceed on our journey. The sun was too high, however, and the plains too heated to induce Murden to consent, so Fred and myself went on an excursion through the various camps near us, and after much hard work we were fortunate enough to get hold of a Boston paper, and then selecting the most secluded spot that we could find, and the freest from dust, we read to each other all the items of interest, and then commenced on the advertis.e.m.e.nts, which latter we finished just as Michael called us to supper.

Each party camped on the bank of the stream, had a fire burning, and the never-failing dish of coffee preparing for their evening meal. Parties of men were searching for their cattle, and driving them in, preparatory to a start; and a scene of confusion, it appeared to me, seemed inevitable; but to my surprise the oxen walked slowly towards the carts to which they belonged, and submitted to having yokes placed wound their necks, without that resistance which I had antic.i.p.ated.

The sun had hardly disappeared before the first cart started on its long journey for Ballarat. Another and another followed, and in a short time we were the sole occupants of the camping ground.

In a few minutes after we had wished success to the last party that crossed the stream our horses were saddled, and once more we resumed our journey for Melbourne.

Nothing of general interest occupied our attention until we were within a few miles of the city, when Murden sent one of his men forward to announce his arrival to the captain of police, and to confide to him the success which had attended his enterprise.

Maurice, the person sent, must have imparted the news to a dozen friends, and they, probably, in turn told it to every one they met, for just as we came in sight of the city, we were surprised to witness a vast concourse of people on the road.

Some were on foot, and some on horseback, and every description of vehicle in Melbourne appeared to have been pressed into speedy service, and loaded down with men and women, anxious to get a glimpse of the ferocious bushrangers, whose names had long been such a terror to all having business beyond the limits of the city.

"We are in for it," said Murden, pointing towards the fast approaching crowd. "Close up on each side of the cart, men, and let no one speak to, or insult our prisoners!"

Before the crowd reached us, Smith deserted the side of his oxen for a moment, and laid his hand upon my horse's bridle, saying,--

"You remember where you and Mr. Fred slept the first night you landed in Melbourne?"

"To be sure I do," I replied; "in your house."

"And remember," he said, "I want you both to take up your quarters there again. You will promise me this?"

"I think that we had better go to some hotel," I replied, fearing that we should cause him trouble and expense.

"Don't think of such a thing; you will squander all of your money, and receive no equivalent for it. Go to my house, and we'll live like princes at a quarter the expense. Or, if you feel that you are too good for the company of a felon--"