Robbery Under Arms by Rolf Boldrewood (epub read online books TXT) 📕

think he was dreaming. He used to see strange things sometimes, but he went back to where the kangaroo was and saw the carcase. That woke him up. Then he went to the place where he saw the man last, and after poking about, and having pretty sharp eyes for small things he fell upon Donohoe’s track, he was the man, and followed right down the gully into the Hollow.

He was stunned when he saw what a place it was, and not satisfied till he ferreted out every nook and corner of it. Donohoe and the others were going to kill him at first, but seeing he was harmless and not likely to go back again, for he told them he intended to live here all the rest of his days if they would let him. They made him swear never to tell or show anyone the secret path, and didn’t trouble themselves any more about him.

The end of it was that he built the hut and made the garden we saw. He filled up his time plant-hunting and searching for gold, some of which he gave the men from time to time. He doctored one or two of them when they were hurt, and in other ways came to be respected as a kind of well-meaning old chop that was a shingle short. When he had finished his collection he was for England, but death came it too quick on him, so he was buried under the peach tree in this blind gully. Life’s a rum thing, my word! We were pretty hard set to fill up our time, or else I daresay we should none of us have had patience to listen to all this, or cared much about it if we had heard it. If we’d been in full work, any old man might have wasted his life picking up weeds and bush flowers, when he could have lived different in the old country, and we’d have thought him fit for Tarban Creek. The gold was another matter altogether. The man that foraged out the gold and found ways and means to wash it, years and years before anyone had been sharp enough to do it at the Turon hadn’t a common sort of headpiece by any manner of means.

Then we saw from what he said (Starlight read this bit very careful to himself) that he had found a fairish lot of gold in the bars of the two creeks that ran through The Hollow, and had made up his mind that somewhere about, where they joined and ran into the limestone hole, there would be found a rich deep lead of gold, enough to find employment for thousands of men. What he had got had taken him years and years to collect in small quantities, but he was certain that in future years, from indications he had observed, enormous yields would be taken from the matrix, as well as the alluvial, and Australia become one of the richest gold producing countries in the whole world.

XXVI

We did a little gold digging, and got the colour here and there, just enough to show us we might make a haul some day, but we couldn’t hit it good. We rode and shot a bit till somehow I got restless, and said I’d go home for a day. It was risky, but I’d stand the racket. There couldn’t be police there night and day. Father growled and said I was a dashed fool. What did I want to run my head into a noose? We were waiting for the straight tip and then we’d try another lay. But I was that obstinate I wouldn’t be turned. I wanted to see Aileen and mother very bad; perhaps I thought I might hear something about Gracey Storefield. Anyhow I meant going.

I dressed myself pretty neat, though I took care to have nothing on to be noticed by, and rode away on an old horse that had been very fast in his day and was just good enough for a short ride like this. He was gone in the legs, but wouldn’t fall with you, and he could do his mile still in fairish time.

It was grand weather, and jolly enough till I got to the hill that looked down over the stockyard, where Goring nailed me so simple; I wondered whether he would ever have the chance again. It was getting on late in the day, so I thought I would take a good look round in case anyone was on the lookout. I could sneak down after dark and get in on the quiet easy enough. There wouldn’t be a constable on the watch always; still I knew they’d know we couldn’t keep away for ever from the old place, and they wouldn’t be many days without taking a look round. Anyhow I’ll chance it tonight. I’d come out for a talk with Aiken and to see mother once more. And I’d do it, no matter what turns up.

I waited and waited⁠—how long it seemed⁠—till it was quite dark, in the scrub, for how did I know they wasn’t watching the place now? Then I rode over to the barn and shoved my horse in. He was pretty hungry, though I’d pulled him some grass, and there happened to be some oaten straw. I could see the oats had been threshed out of it, and I wondered who had been doing it. I loosened the girths; but didn’t take his saddle off, and hung the bridle round his neck. It was a halter-bridle, and I left the bit out of his mouth.

I walked quietly over to the hut, and looked in. There was nobody there but the two of ’em, mother and Aileen. Lonely and miserable enough they looked, God knows, but I was that glad to see them again I hardly minded it as long as they were alive. Mother was sitting in