The Gold Hunter's Adventures Or, Life In Australia Volume 2 ( Of 2 ) by William H. Thomes (books to read in your 30s TXT) 📕

Suggestion, There Would Be A Pretty Row," Muttered The Captain, Still

Hesitating.

"But They Need Not Know It," I Repeated.

"Come, Captain Fitz, For Old Acquaintance Sake, Let Us See The Young

Man. No Harm Will Come Of It, And You Will Be Doing A Good Service,"

Said Mr. Brown, Who Knew The Officer While Quartered At Melbourne.

"Well, I Will See What I Can Do For You; But Remember, I Shall Give You

Only Five Minutes."

"That Will Answer Our Purpose," I Replied.

"Then Wait Here A Few Moments, Until I Report Myself Ready For The

March. The Prisoners Are Being Mustered, And Preparing For The Long

Tramp, For We Have Got To Get Them Out Of Ballarat Before Daylight, For

Fear Of An Attack And Rescue."

He Spoke Hurriedly, And Then Entered The Commissioner's Room, Where He

Remained Ten Minutes, When He Again Joined Us.

"All Right," He Whispered; "Put On These Overcoats And Caps--You Must

Pass For Officers, Or There Will Be An End To All Attempts At An

Interview."

We Were Too Glad To Comply With The Request To Waste Words, And As Soon

As We Had Donned The Disguise We Followed The Captain Out Of The Front

Door, Passed Double Lines Of Soldiers, Still On Duty, But Resting On

Their Arms, And At Length Reached A Strong Building Where The Prisoners

Were Confined, And Where Preparations Were Being Made For Their Removal.

A Dozen Or Twenty Soldiers Guarded The Door; But At The Sight Of The

Captain And His Uniform, Arms Were Presented, The Door Was Unlocked, And

We Passed Into A Room Thirty Feet Square, Where We Found About

Twenty-Five Of The Most Prominent Miners, Lounging About, Talking, And

Apparently Entirely Indifferent To Their Fate. We Cast Our Eyes Over The

Crowd, And Soon Saw Fred, Holding A Conversation With A Soldier, Whom He

Was Endeavoring To Bribe To Get Writing Materials, So That He Could

Indite A Few Lines To Us Before He Left.

"Step This Way, My Man," I Said, Disguising My Voice, And Addressing My

Friend.

He Looked Somewhat Astonished, But As He Could Not See My Face, He Did

Not Know Me.

"Well, Gentlemen, What Is Your Pleasure?" He Asked, As He Followed Us To

The Most Remote Part Of The Room.

"To See You Before You Left, And To Convince You That We Will Make Every

Exertion To Secure Your Release," I Whispered.

"Ah, Jack," My Friend Said, Squeezing My Hand, "I Knew That You Would

Not Let Me Leave Without Making An Effort To See Me. A Thousand Thanks

For This Kindness."

"Don't Be Discouraged," I Continued; "Mr. Brown And Myself Are Going To

Melbourne In The Morning, And We Will Use All Our Influence To Get You

Clear. Is There Any Thing That You Desire?"

"I Don't Know Of Any Thing, Unless You Can Send Me A Few Clothes, So

That I Can Have A Change After Reaching The City."

"We Will Await Your Arrival, And While We Are Away, Smith Must Look

After The Business."

"Time Is Up, Gentlemen," Captain Fitz Said, Approaching Us.

"One Moment, Sir.--Have You Any Gold In Your Pockets?" I Asked.

"A Few Shilling Pieces--Nothing More," Fred Replied.

"Then Take These Sovereigns;" And I Slipped A Dozen Into His Hand.

"I Must Again Remind You, Gentlemen," The Captain Remarked.

"We Are All Ready To Leave, And Have Only One More Favor To Ask. Let Us

Have A Moment's Conversation With The Orderly Sergeant, Who Will Have

The Immediate Care Of The Prisoners."

"There He Stands," The Captain Replied, Pointing To A Six-Footer, Who

Was Ironing The Men, And Who Was Waiting To Handcuff Fred.

The Captain Smiled To See The Eagerness With Which I Rushed Towards The

Man, And Then Very Wisely Turned His Back Upon Us. He Suspected What I

Intended To Do.

"You Have The Immediate Charge Of The Prisoners?" I Asked.

"Yes, Sir," He Replied, With Some Show Of Respect, For We Wore The

Overcoats Of Officers.

"Will You See That My Friend There Has Every Comfort That It Is Possible

To Obtain On The Route?" I Asked.

"They Must All Share Alike, Sir," He Answered.

"But Will You Promise Not To Iron Him, And Accept His Word Of Honor That

He Will Not Attempt To Run Away?" I Asked.

"Couldn't Think Of Such A Thing, Sir. I'm Responsible For Every Man."

"But He Is A Gentleman, And Will Keep His Word, Let What Will Happen," I

Pleaded.

Another Reproval Was Springing From His Lips, When Suddenly His Face

Underwent A Remarkable Change, And A Smile Took The Place Of A Frown.

"Fifty More When I Meet You In Melbourne, If You Strictly Comply With My

Requests," I Whispered.

The Soldier Put His Hand Into His Pocket With Wonderful Dexterity, And I

Heard Gold Chink As He Withdrew It.

"All Right, Sir--Rely Upon Me. The Gentleman Shall Have My Bed And Grub,

And Ride Beside Me In The Ambulance. I Must Keep An Eye On Him, You

Know, 'Cos I'm 'Sponsible For His Safe Keeping."

"Watch Him As Close As You Please," I Replied, "Although I Assure You

That He Would Not Escape After He Has Once Passed His Word For All The

Gold In The Mines Of Australia."

"Them's The Kind Of Coveys I Likes," Responded The Soldier. "He Shan't

Feel The Touch Of The Irons, And Shall Fare Like A Grenadier. But You

Won't Forget The Other Fifty."

I Assured The Man That The Money Should Be Forthcoming; And Just Then

The Shrill Notes Of A Trumpet Were Heard Outside, Followed By The Roll

Of A Drum.

"You Must Leave Instantly," Cried Captain Fitz, Hurriedly. "The

Prisoners Are About To Be Led Out."

We Rushed Towards Fred, Gave Him A Hearty Shake Of Our Hands, Whispered

A Few Words Of Encouragement, And Then Were Compelled To Leave The

Building.

"Pass This Way, Gentlemen," The Captain Said; "I'll Escort You Through

The Lines, As You Might Find Some Difficulty In Answering The Sentry's

Challenges."

We Followed The Kind-Hearted Officer, And Were Soon Outside The Lines,

When We Thanked Him For His Kindness.

"Some Other Time We Will Talk Of The Matter," He Answered. "I Must Now

Hasten Back To My Command; But One Word Before We Part. Don't Think That

All British Officers Resemble Colonel Kellum. Now, I Will Thank You For

The Overcoats, Or My Brother Officers Will Scold Worse Than A Dragoon.

Adieu. We Shall Meet In Melbourne."

He Disappeared In The Darkness, And We Walked Silently To The Store,

Where We Found Smith, Who Was So Overcome By The Arrest Of Fred That He

Had Drank Six Or Seven Glasses Of Whiskey, And Announced His Intention

Of Continuing To Imbibe Until He Was Lost To All Reason. A Few Words Of

Comfort, However, And An Announcement That We Should Leave For Melbourne

In The Morning, And Require Him To Look After The Store Until Our

Return, Sobered Him, And He Vowed Not To Touch Another Glass Of Spirits

Until Fred Was Released.

Mr. Brown Promised To Accompany Me, And Before Morning We Packed Up Our

Clothes, And At Daylight We Were On Our Way In The Stage, Rolling Along

At The Rate Of Ten Miles An Hour; And In Two Days After Leaving The

Mines We Were In Melbourne, And Closeted With Murden, Who Proved Himself

Our Friend In Adversity, As He Was In Prosperity.

"I Will Do All That I Can," He Said, After Listening To Our Story. "The

Commissioner Has So Magnified Matters That The Governor And Council

Really Think A Most Formidable Insurrection Has Occurred, And That He

Has Displayed Great Power In Putting It Down. To Make The Affair As

Complicated As Possible, The Governor Seems To Think That The Americans

Were At The Head Of The Conspiracy, And Have Urged The English On To

Action. I, Of Course, Know Better, And Will Endeavor To Have Him Put

Right On The Subject."

Murden Appointed An Interview In The Afternoon, And Then Left Us To Lay

Our Case Before A Few Of The Most Influential Members Of The Council,

While We Visited Old Acquaintances, And Explained To Smith's Wife, Who

Was Living In A Very Pleasant House In The City, The Reason Why Her

Husband Would Not Return For A Week Or Two. The Lady Was Heartily Glad

To See Me, And At Her Request Mr. Brown And Myself Took Up Our Quarters

In Her House During Our Stay In The City.

In The Afternoon We Called On Murden, And Found That He Had Accomplished

His Object. The Governor, On His Representations, Had Ordered A

Discharge To Be Immediately Made Out, And Sealed By The Broad Seal Of

The Colony, And Intimated That A Most Thorough Investigation Should Be

Instituted Regarding The Conduct Of Both The Commissioner And Colonel

Kellum At Ballarat.

"And Now To Conclude A Long Story," Said Murden, "Here Is A Discharge

Which States That Your Friend Was Unjustly Arrested, And That He Be

Released From Custody, No Matter Under Whose Jurisdiction He May Be,

Forthwith. His Excellency Also Bade Me State That He Should Be Pleased

To See You Before Your Departure From The City, And Requests Mr.

Inspector Brown To Repair To Ballarat And Report For Duty."

"Ah, Murden," Mr. Brown Exclaimed, "I Am Indebted To You For This

Re-Appointment."

"I Thought That I Might As Well Kill Two Birds With One Stone, As The

Saying Is, And Faith I've Done It. But I See