The Gold Hunters' Adventures Part 123

"I think that he was sensible of what was going on around him, and uttered the expression to convince me of his sincerity."

"Make us your confidant, and we will endeavor to think as you do."

"I will, because in the first place I owe my life to your devotion on that day, and therefore you shall share in all the benefits that are likely to arise from Bill's death; and in the second place it is necessary for me to have a companion to prosecute my searches for the treasure."

"Then the bushranger revealed the secret?" we eagerly asked.

"Listen, and you shall judge. When we had Bill in custody that day, I thought from his boastful style of talking, that he had money buried somewhere, and I determined to obtain it if possible, for I reasoned that gold would do me much more good than the cold earth."

"With this idea I visited Bill frequently while in prison, and each time gave him some little luxury, that the rules of the inst.i.tution prevented his getting, unless money was plenty, and the fellow was dest.i.tute. I put off his trial on one pretext and another, and always gave orders in his hearing, that he should be treated kindly, and have as much freedom as the place afforded."

"At first my interviews with him were like attempting to tame an enraged bull, and all my advances were rejected. Other men might have got disgusted, but not so with me. I persevered, and gradually softened his rugged nature, but it was like water wearing away stone. At length I perceived that confinement was telling on the prisoner, and then I hinted how much better it would be for my welfare if I was rich and independent of the police force; and although at first my insinuations were rejected with scorn, yet time and an even temper effected my purpose; and one day after Bill had had a bad attack of fainting fits and convulsions, he told me his whole history, and ended with a confession that the dust which he had stolen, was buried, with other treasure, near the banks of the Lodden, within sight of Mount Tarrengower. That there was only one way to reach it, for quicksands surrounded the spot where the money was hid, and that I could find it by searching precisely at the hour of twelve o'clock in the evening, when the moon was full, for then Mount Tarrengower threw a shadow upon the edge of the spot, and no mistake could occur. In fact, he gave me such explicit directions, that I do not fear failure."

CHAPTER LXV.

THE EXPEDITION AFTER BILL SWINTON'S BURIED TREASURES.

"And you think that Bill was not deceiving you?" Fred asked, after a moment's consideration.

"If you could have seen his death bed--how pleasantly and cheerfully he left this world for the next, and how comfortable he was with new pipes and an unlimited supply of tobacco, and two hard candles, got at my own expense, you would not have thought that the fellow was endeavoring to deceive me. Besides, he died so much like a Christian, forgiving every one, and entertaining no malice, that I can hardly believe he would have been guilty of such rascally hypocrisy."

"How do you know that Bill did not impart his secret to others?" I asked.

"Simply because I gave orders that no conversation was to be held with him; and to see that my orders were carried out, I sat up with him on the night that he died. Almost with his last breath he told me to 'remember the shadow.' I feel so confident that he told me the true spot where the money is buried, that I would not take one thousand pounds for my share."

We thought the matter over, and considered the subject in all its bearings. If Bill had spoken the truth, there was a chance for us to increase our funds with but little labor, and none in Ballarat would be the wiser for it. If the information was false, the only thing lost would be a week or two's absence from business, which, in the present exciting times, we hardly dared to spare. After a long talk, however, and upon Mr. Brown's a.s.sertion that there was no danger of an outbreak, for at least two weeks, I concluded that I would leave Fred in charge of the store, and undertake the expedition, in company with the ex-inspector.

Barney, who was with us, waiting impatiently for the arrival of Smith, readily consented to a.s.sist Fred to the extent of his ability during my absence; and without further ceremony we bound the agreement with Mr.

Brown, that we would share equal with him, in whatever expenses were incurred, or whatever was found.

"We must start to-morrow morning," Mr. Brown said, after all the preliminary arrangements were concluded, "because the moon fulls the day after to-morrow, and we shall want to be on the spot to make an examination by daylight. How soon can we be ready?"

"To-morrow, as early as you desire," I replied.

"Good; we shall then lose no time. It will be necessary for us to go well armed and well mounted, you know, for the distance is long, and the road dangerous. Besides, we shall require a pack mule or horse to carry a few tools, and provisions enough to last us for a week."

That part of the business was quickly arranged. Mr. Brown owned a large gray horse which he had always rode while at Ballarat, and we had three good animals standing idle. I proposed to borrow a pack saddle, and make the poorest animal do packing service, while I mounted the other. The idea was adopted, and before night we had our provisions all prepared, our blankets ready for strapping, and a pickaxe and shovel selected, in case we should have to stir the earth with an extensive search for the hidden treasure.

In the course of the day, the ex-inspector, after bidding his a.s.sociates farewell, and telling them that he intended to visit Melbourne on business connected with his resignation, moved all his traps to the store for safe keeping during his absence, and when evening drew on, we lighted our pipes, and in subdued tones spoke of the prospect of finding enough gold to pay us for our journey.

The next morning we were up before daylight, preparing breakfast and attending to the horses, and before the sun was ready to show his face, we were in the saddle, and on our way to the banks of the Lodden, driving the pack horse before us at an easy canter, and enjoying all the beauties of the morning.

We avoided the road which led to Melbourne, and upon which some forty or fifty poor devils were working out their mining tax, and by a cut across the country, in the direction of Mount Tarrengower, were enabled to save some few miles of travel, as well as to avoid answering questions from those whom we met on the road. The latter is no slight labor, as every person on a journey to the mines is desirous of asking the latest news, and whether the gold is as abundant as ever.

By ten o'clock we found that our animals began to suffer from the heat, and as our appet.i.tes were pretty well sharpened, we called a halt beneath the shadow of some gum trees, relieved our horses of their saddles, and wet their mouths with water, and after a hearty lunch, leaned back and smoked our pipes with delicious contentment, and without a thought of danger.

We were soon unconscious of every thing around us, and did not awake until past four o'clock, when we once more resumed our journey, and by sundown we had gained a small brook within a few miles of Mount Alexander. Here we proposed to pa.s.s the night, and after watering the animals, and stalling them in a good piece of fresh gra.s.s, we began to make provision for rest. We had no desire to kindle a fire, for the country in which we were travelling was not entirely safe, and a light would have only attracted attention, which we were desirous of avoiding.

"For once," said Mr. Brown, as he arranged his saddle for a pillow, "I feel as though I should rather regret meeting with bushrangers, for I have every thing to lose, and no honor to gain by a contest. If, therefore, the gentlemen of the bush will only avoid us, I shall feel thankful."

"Do you know this part of the country to be frequented by bushrangers?"

I asked, examining my revolver for the first time since we had left Ballarat.

"I don't vouch for their presence, but here is water, and there is food," Mr. Brown said, pointing away to our right; "the scamps are always sure to be located when these two essentials are to be found, and, as a general thing, they show good taste in the selection of their retreats, and when idle, feed upon the choicest parts of sheep or lamb."

"Is there a sheep station near?" I asked, not being aware of it before.

"Within two miles of us, I should judge. It was formerly called Hawswood, in honor of the proprietor; but after the gold fever broke out, he sold it to a man whose name was Buckerly, a fine-looking fellow and bold as a lion. I made his acquaintance when he first landed at Melbourne, accompanied by a wife and children, and advised him to trade at the mines and acquire a fortune; but he was a large-feeling person, and had occupied a good position in England, and I suppose that he considered all kinds of trafficking plebeian, and beneath his dignity.

"Buckerly thought of entering a banking house in the city, but unluckily altered his mind and concluded to raise stock. He met with Hawswood, got an exalted idea of the profits, and without asking advice, paid five thousand pounds for the place and all that was on it. I had serious doubts of the success of his project, especially when he told me that he should move his family to the stock-house immediately, and superintend his estate. The poor fellow thought that it was fitted and furnished like a suburban villa, and his wife, one of the prettiest and most affable women that ever landed in Australia, looked forward, with many expressions of pleasure, to the delightful country residence that she was to occupy with her husband and children."

Mr. Brown stopped, and appeared to be in a reflective mood, while I, who had been dozing, waked up, and requested him to finish.

"I never saw them afterwards, at least alive, but I often heard, by the shepherds in Buckerly's employ, that the bushrangers and he were at war, and that the result could be easily foretold. It seemed that the former were in the habit of taking a sheep or lamb, according to their fancy, whenever hunger dictated, and as they had always done; but Buckerly determined, very foolishly, to stop so unlawful a course, forgetting that he had every thing to lose, and the bushrangers nothing to gain. He was not strong enough to cope with them, and should have bided his time; but he was hot-headed and rash, and at length was unfortunate enough to kill a fellow who had slaughtered a sheep. From that day he was a doomed man, and not only brought destruction upon himself, but upon his family, for one night his house was attacked, and although he made a brave resistance, yet what could one man do against a dozen? He fell with countless stabs upon his body, and then the devils, the fiends incarnate, seized the poor woman and ravished her one by one. Luckily, she did not live to mourn her shame, but died the same night. The children were unmolested, and are now in Melbourne under proper guardianship, and derive their support from the same station, which is carried on by a shepherd who has been there for many years.

"Word was sent to me the day after the transaction, and I made an investigation, but the perpetrators of the outrage were never discovered. There is a tradition, however, and many shepherds in this district believe it, that on certain nights the ghost of Buckerly is seen wandering on the banks of the Loddon, with a winding-sheet covered with blood, and that those who look upon the apparition are sure to be overtaken by misfortune of some sort.

"I don't put much faith in the story," Mr. Brown said, edging towards me, for the night was beginning to grow quite dark, "but still I must confess to a feeling of superst.i.tion at times, and why should we not?"

Not knowing why we should not, I merely said, "Ah, indeed, why not?" and as the latter part of the story had awakened me as thoroughly as the first portion had set me to sleep, I refilled my pipe, lighted it, and endeavored, by puffing forth volumes of smoke, to compose my mind, and banish all recollections of ghosts and murders. The effort was futile, for Mr. Brown liked to discuss such matters.

"What is to prevent Buckerly and his wife from visiting this world, and wandering around the scene of their death?"

I hazarded a guess, and thought, that want of breath, and a difficulty that they would experience in getting out of their graves without a.s.sistance, would prevent, all such attempts.

"You know that their spirits live, and if that is the case, why can't they enter the body and walk about the earth without difficulty?"

Never having studied the subject, I could not enlighten Mr. Brown as well as I should have desired to; but he apparently was more busy with his own thoughts than my answers, and continued,--

"If Buckerly should make his appearance before us while we were digging for gold, how would we treat him?"

"By giving him a drink from our private bottles," I answered, promptly.

"If he should speak to us, would it be well to answer him? I have read that if you exchange a word with a ghost, the unfortunate can be dragged off without the power to struggle."

"What splendid a.s.sistants they would make for private lunatic asylums.

Patients could be carried off without trouble, and without attracting attention. I shall think of the matter again."

"Don't speak lightly of such serious matters," cried Mr. Brown, with more solemnity than I ever gave him credit for. "There are many things in this world that we cannot account for, and yet it is out of place to jest about them."

In fact, we were not in a favorable place to talk about ghosts and goblins, for the trees under which we were lying screened the light of the stars, and prevented us from seeing each other. Add to this the night wind wailing through the branches of the gum trees, and the profound silence that reigned around, interrupted only by the movements of the horses, or by the quiet gliding of a snake, which had been to the brook to quench its thirst, and barely ruffled a dead leaf in its course in search of companions. Taking all these things into consideration, I'll confess that I have pa.s.sed many nights much more pleasant and satisfactory.

"Far be it from me to joke on matters of such grave import," I said. "I have no desire to incur the ill will of any respectable ghost, and, to tell you the truth, I don't think that one with any pretensions to piety would want to intrude his unwelcome presence upon us. There are people enough in the world who rather court such things, but I, for one, do not."