The Gold Hunters' Adventures Part 97

That act was fatal to the poor bird, for before it could gain headway Rover had caught one of its long legs in his mouth and bit so hard that a shrill shriek was elicited--something like the cry of an enraged ape.

Again did the bird strike him with beak and claw, but the dog held on with the tenacity of a death-grip; and during the struggle we rode quickly up and threw our slip-nooses over that long neck, which had cut through the air with more than railroad speed. Even then, the ca.s.siowary seemed to be more concerned about Rover than ourselves, and fought him fiercely.

"Call off the dog," shouted Fred; "we have him sure, now."

That was a task of some difficulty, for Rover had got his blood up and was fighting desperately, making the feathers fly in all directions; and even his antagonist was using all the weapons that nature had given him, and was striking out like a prize-fighter, fighting with wings and beak, and sometimes with feet, in a manner that would have excited the admiration of a c.o.c.k-fighting padre.

By the time that I got Rover to relinquish the combat,--and during its continuance I did not escape harmless,--the teamsters had stopped their oxen and were rushing towards us, anxious to see what kind of an animal we were struggling with. The bird made frantic efforts to escape, but by means of the rope we were enabled to frustrate them, and were getting him quite subdued when the crowd reached us.

"What on airth is that?" inquired a man, whose voice readily proclaimed his nation.

"Why, that is an Australian turkey," replied Murden, who joined us at that instant, looking somewhat the worse for his trip, and we noticed that his seat in the saddle was not very firm.

"Why, you don't say that, 'squire?" asked our new acquaintance, approaching the captive to get a nearer view.

"Yes, it is. We pasture them out a little ways, and when the people at Ballarat feel like having a feast we catch one, but sometimes they get a little wild."

"Wall, I swow to man, if that don't beat all that I ever heard of, and no mistake. I've seen big c.o.c.k-turkeys, and uncle Josiah raised one for last Thanksgiving that was a whopper, but this knocks him. I say, what could I get a pair of these 'ere for?"

The stranger very imprudently laid his hand upon the bird for the purpose of feeling his condition, and what proportion of flesh there was to feathers. Hardly had the captive felt his touch when all of his native fierceness returned, and while our countryman, with a grave face, was still expressing his wonder, the ca.s.siowary raised one of his muscular legs and kicked him full on his breast. In another instant the American was going backward at a rapid rate, and finally brought up full length upon the earth. For a second he didn't move, then slowly gathering up his lank form, he looked first at the ca.s.siowary, and then at Murden, and muttered,--

"Dod rot yer Australia turkeys,--they don't know manners."

The crowd roared with laughter, and for a long time our American friend was known by the nickname of "Turkey Johnson."

CHAPTER L.

ARRIVAL OF SMITH.--ATTEMPT TO BURN THE STORE.

Even after we had captured the ca.s.siowary we did not know what to do with it, as Murden would not listen for a moment to the idea of its being killed, and yet the bird was too formidable an opponent to play with. While we were debating how to get the bird to Ballarat, an old stockman, who upon the discovery of gold had left his employment and gone into the teaming business, suggested that we should tie a handkerchief over his head, and guaranteed that we would then lead as docile as a pet lamb.

"Now, then, how are we to improve the advice of the stockman?" asked Murden. "Who will throw a handkerchief over the bird's head, and then have the hardihood to tie it?"

No one volunteered to perform so perilous a duty until our American friend, who had recovered from the effects of his kick, suggested that all present should take hold of the two ropes, and by pulling in opposite directions manage to keep the bird in a state of strangulation that would utterly prevent all resistance.

Murden was delighted with the hint, and acted on it without delay. We pressed those present into service, and in a few minutes the eyes of the huge bird were screened from the light, and he was ready to follow us wherever we should lead. In this way we escorted him to town, and Murden, when he returned to Melbourne, carried his pet; and the bird may be alive now for all that I know, for the lieutenant gave him to the governor-general, and for many months after the presentation the ca.s.siowary was to be seen on the grounds, near the palace, an object of great curiosity to all new-comers.

After seeing the bird safely housed at the back part of our store, where we kept our horses, and after astonishing Steel Spring by telling him that he was to make his entree into Melbourne on the back of the bird, we again took the road, and were soon gratified by meeting our partner, Smith, with two huge loads of merchandise of all descriptions, and each drawn by four yokes of oxen.

"Well, I've got along," he said, with one of his most cheerful smiles, "and a precious whack of itself I've got piled on the carts. Here's a little of every thing. Cheap for cash, you know."

"Then you made good trades in Melbourne?" we both demanded.

"I should rather think I had. There's three or four American clipper ships in port with cargoes that must be sold, and no demand. I bought a lot of stuff at auction, and I never paid such a low figure before."

"But how did you manage to get clear of your wife so soon after marriage?" Fred asked.

"Ah, I see that the lieutenant has been giving you the news," replied Smith, with a genuine blush. "Well, the fact of it is, she is too sensible a woman to regret the absence of one whom she knows is bettering himself, so that there were but few tears shed between us."

The lieutenant, with a consideration that did him credit, rode in advance a few rods, out of hearing, as he rightly judged that we must desire to make a few inquiries of a private nature respecting our business relation.

"Did you get the gold that was in the custody of the old--"

We were about to say "old convict," when we recollected that he was Smith's father-in-law.

"Of course I did," our partner interrupted, apparently taking no notice of our mistake. "He read the order over a dozen times, and then made me sign a paper, stating that the money was given up to me on such a day, at such a time, and then called his daughter to witness the delivery. He wished you both all manner of prosperity, and said that he didn't want you to think hard of him for not letting you mine on his claim, but hoped to be rich enough before many days to relinquish it entirely, and then you could come and be welcome."

"Tell him we appreciate his kindness," returned Fred, with a laugh at the shrewdness of the old fox.

"Yes, I will," returned Smith, seriously. "But let me finish with an account of how I spent a portion of the funds, and what I did with the remainder. I have ten barrels of flour, or a ton as we term it, which I got cheap enough, and if we don't realize a profit on it I shall be much mistaken--then I have sugars, mola.s.ses, whiskey, wine, spices, boots and shoes, clothing, meal, preserved meats and vegetables, tobacco and cigars, pipes, pork, a cask of vinegar, a barrel of pickles, firkins of b.u.t.ter, and a dozen cheeses, and fifty other things that I don't recollect, but which I have no doubt will meet with a ready sale after we have once got started."

"And the price for all these things was low?" we asked, quite amazed at the variety that our partner had selected.

"So low that over two thirds of the money that we subscribed now awaits our order at the Melbourne bank." And to confirm his words, Smith pulled from his bosom a small pouch that contained a certificate of deposit.

Of course we congratulated our friend on the prospect that he had afforded us of making a large percentage on his purchases, and by the time that we had finished our interrogations we had reached Ballarat and drew up in front of our new store; and in spite of the warmth of the afternoon, we stripped off our coats, and went to work unloading the carts and arranging the goods to suit our ideas of convenience and display.

Even Murden did not disdain to lend a hand, and Mr. Brown, when he dropped around to take a cup of tea with us in the evening, finding that there was plenty of work to be done, sent us half a dozen policemen; the latter labored as though they liked it, and when, about ten o'clock in the evening, we knocked off, and offered to pay them, to our surprise they told us that they were already paid, and all our entreaties were powerless to make them accept of a shilling. But they still lingered in the store, and we wondered at it; and at length we hinted to Murden that we thought they wanted something for their services, although they had refused money.

"Leave them to me," the lieutenant replied, "and I will find out what they expect."

"Well, boys, we have had a pretty hard evening's work," the lieutenant said, speaking to the men, who had no idea that he belonged to the service.

"Yes, sir; carrying in the barrels is apt to make one dry and tired,"

replied the men.

"Yes, I know; but you understand that there is no such thing as liquor in the store," and Murden winked mysteriously.

"O, we knew there was none," cried the men, with wonderful unanimity, and their faces experienced a change for the better immediately.

"I suppose if there was liquor here, and it was offered, you could take off half a tumbler full without much trouble?"

The men were confident that they could, although they once more expressed their full conviction in none being in the store.

"Tap a barrel and give them a strong pull at it," Murden whispered, "and you need not fear of their informing."

It was but the work of a moment to accomplish the object, and perhaps we were the more ready from a desire on our part to taste what Smith had bought. The six policemen threw back their heads with military precision, and emptied their tumblers without making even a wry face; but their lips smacked like the reports of six distinct pistols, and as they turned to go one said,--

"Liquor is not allowed to be sold at the mines without a full license, and the rules and regulations prevent us from touching any kind of spirits; therefore we are all temperance men; but, I must say that you have got some of the best colored water to be had in the country. Good evening, sirs; we should like to a.s.sist again when our services are needed;" and off went the policemen, well satisfied with their reward.

It was as the men stated--liquor had to be licensed or not at all; and although a large amount was disposed of daily at Ballarat, yet it was never sold in the presence of a policeman, or a person who would be likely to inform of the vender.

We ate our supper with a good appet.i.te, glancing with pride upon our well-filled store and carefully-selected goods, and bright antic.i.p.ations arose in our minds as we thought of the profits that we should reach before they were all disposed of. A fortune of colossal size seemed within our reach, and only required a little tact to grasp. While we were thus cogitating, a barefooted, wild-looking boy, who seemed as though he had worked under ground all his life, and was only on the surface for a few minutes for the sake of astonishing civilization, made his appearance, threw down a dirty-looking note, and then disappeared as suddenly as he came.

"What does the fellow mean?" asked Murden, who was lazily swinging in a hammock, smoking a pipe with infinite relish, and endeavoring to keep the insects at bay by raising clouds of burnt tobacco.