during the week that followed, the work at golden flat proceeded apace. sinking operations were being conducted all along the line of the auriferous wash from never never dave's shaft down to the golden promise claim, and red-coloured flags were almost daily making their appearance on the various windlass heads, indicating that the fortunate owners of the claims had bottomed on gold. never never dave's excavation, as has been already mentioned, struck the pay gravel at the ten-foot level, and that easy-going individual was leisurely engaged scooping out the rich conglomerate-looking cement while his neighbours were yet industriously seeking for the golden channel. nuggety dick was the next to reach it; his ground was directly adjacent to dave's, yet his shaft was down fifteen feet before the welcome red symbol showed at his workings, thus indicating the gradual dip of the ancient waterway. before the week was out, however, every shaft had bottomed on the golden gravel excepting that which mackay, bob, and jack were sinking. but this delay in reaching the longed-for stratum in no way disconcerted mackay.
"the chances are," said he, "that, when we do strike it at the lower level, the wash itself will be deeper and wider."
[pg 67]
this thought was a wonderful incentive to them all, for the gold-carrying gravel laid bare in the other workings was scarcely two feet in thickness, and, though its richness was unquestionable, its limited nature was only too apparent. bob and jack took their turns in the shaft with great good humour and enthusiasm, and though at first their efforts to penetrate the flinty formations encountered were almost unavailing, they quickly acquired the science of the work under the constant guidance of mackay, who also taught them how to temper their tools for the different kinds of strata, how to drill holes for the gelignite charges so as to obtain the most efficient results. their early training especially fitted them for this kind of tuition, and they proved very apt pupils. mackay, though such a strong man himself, was no advocate of the supremacy of muscle even in shaft-sinking.
"science beats it every time," said he. "of course, i'm no denyin' that, where baith strength and science are combined there's a wonderfu' advantage, but it doesna often happen that a strong man physically is blessed wi' a superabundity o' mental gifts——"
jack, of course, could not resist the interruption. "we can't allow that from you, sir," in his most sedate tones.
mackay smiled. "i'm vera pleased to have your implied testimonial, jack," he returned, with twinkling eyes; "but then i was aboot to remark that an exception was needed to prove any rule, an' i was to assume mysel' to be the exception in this case. no, no, mind conquers matter, and that is why you two are just as fitted to pit doon a shaft as the strongest navvy in the country." all of which the boys found to be quite in accordance[pg 68] with facts when they got accustomed to wielding the pick, hammer, and drill.
"observe any cracks in the formation," their kindly instructor would call down to them; "attack everything in the lines o' least resistance." and by following his advice to the letter they quickly discovered that gold-mining was by no means as difficult as they had imagined.
now, just when the first week of their labours had concluded, the shaft was sunk twenty feet; a few more feet would decide whether or not bob's theory would prove correct.
"i tell you what, mates," said nuggety dick that evening, "you were just a bit venturesome in sinking so far from the main workings."
"i don't think so," returned bob, confidently. "we'll get there all right, nuggety. another five feet should do it." and another five feet did do it. two days later mackay's pick broke through the covering layer of diorite in the bottom of the shaft, and with a grunt of satisfaction he called on jack, who was at the windlass, to lower the bucket.
"i'm sending up some specimens," he cried.
jack gave a howl of delight; hearing which, bob, who had been reading in the tent, rushed out, and with eyes gleaming with suppressed excitement, hurried to the shaft mouth. he was just in time to assist in the raising of the heavily laden bucket. nearer and nearer it came to the surface. would the wash be gold-bearing or would it be barren? the boys' agitation was intense. their limbs trembled and their hands could scarcely retain their grip on the windlass arms. down below stood mackay, perspiring with his arduous toil, watching the[pg 69] bucket ascend with somewhat anxious eyes. the glare of the sun across the shaft's mouth made everything apparent to him, while he himself was obscured from view in the shadows. the bucket had almost reached the top; already bob had stretched out his hand to grasp it, when a stentorian shout from below arrested the movement, and, for a space, the fateful harbinger of good or evil tidings hung motionless.
"keep a good grip o' your nerves—an' the windlass, lads. heave away!"
the caution came in time. it suddenly flashed upon them both that a single slip on their part, a momentary hesitation, might prove disastrous to their friend below. again bob stretched out his hand, his eyes caught the glisten of gold, but his grip was sure. next instant he and jack were gazing at a whitish mass, through which shone myriad dazzling particles of the yellow metal. a few minutes later mackay was jerked to the surface; there was no hesitancy in the movement of the windlass now; the moment of extreme tension had come and gone. together they sat down on the sand and examined the specimens one by one without speaking. then mackay rose to his feet.
"the theory was right, bob," he said calmly. "this is the richest stuff on the lead. i don't know how much there is of it yet, but there's enough to make you glad you came out to australia, anyhow. run up the flag, jack," he directed, turning to that youth, who was still joyously examining his treasures. "let golden flat know that we three are right here every time." he spoke jovially, yet so quietly, that his words exercised a kind of restraint over his hearers, which he was quick to notice.
[pg 70]
"never mind me, my lads," he said. "you've got every reason to rejoice, but you must remember that i'm an old hand at gold digging, an' the yellow dirt doesna mak' me enthuse like it aince did." truly enough, to this strange scot of many moods, the excitement and risk attending discovery was everything; he viewed the rich reward likely to be his with almost stoical indifference. indeed, he was engaged in a deep philosophical argument with bob concerning the uses and abuses of gold as a factor in the world's history, when the population of golden flat arrived in a body to tender their congratulations.
"but in these days," bob was saying, "not to have gold is held to be almost a proof of one's inferiority. the world does not judge from an intellectual standpoint. it demands wealth. no matter what brains a young man may have at home, the chances are against his ever coming to the front unaided. gold——" bob stopped suddenly, having become aware of a growing audience behind him.
from the group old battered dead broke made grave utterance.
"i believe your ideas are kerect, bob; but from what i sees here you can thank your lucky stars that the gold has come to you early in life. look at me an' nuggety——"
"an' me," broke in the youthful shadow, with affected mournfulness.
at this stage jack came forward with a handful of fine gold slugs and coarse dust.
"i've just dollied a few samples," said he, handing his treasure to mackay. "that should go about twenty ounces to the ton, shouldn't it?"
[pg 71]
"nearer two hundred, jack," returned mackay, smiling at his eagerness.
"we're jolly glad to know you've struck it, boys," said nuggety dick, earnestly. "and we hopes it will be a thicker patch than ours, for, from what i sees, we can work out our claims in less than a month."
"well, we sunk here on the spec. o' striking it bigger on the rise," said mackay. "but whether or no we've been successful i canna say just yet."
"i'm going to sink for a deeper patch," growled emu bill. "i believe we've only got a floater in our claims, an' the true bottom should be further down."
"i'd advise you to work out all the shallow ground first," said mackay. "you never know when a rush may come sailin' along. keep stackin' the stuff until we get a battery up; don't trouble dollyin' it—it's only wasting time."
his advice was sound, and was greeted with murmurs of assent. the water supply at the camp was daily becoming less and less; no doubt more could be tapped by sinking a deep shaft, but this would involve considerable delay, and the citizens of golden flat were by no means anxious to leave their congenial occupation at so early a period. by roughly grinding the cement-like wash, and rinsing off the lighter sands, fairly accurate assays could be obtained from sample specimens; but to continue such a work on a large scale would drain the soak within a week. the only feasible plan was to excavate as much of the gravel as possible in anticipation of a crushing battery arriving on the ground, which would surely be there immediately news of the flat's richness spread abroad. and so the days passed, and the sun beat down fiercely on the[pg 72] toiling band who strove with grim nature for her treasure. ever and anon the dull roar of exploding gelignite indicated how man was using the utmost help civilization could give in order to shatter the many refractory obstacles in his path.
at the golden promise mine sinking operations were going on very successfully; three feet of the golden conglomerate had been penetrated, and still there were no signs of the dreaded barren pipe-clay formation appearing. bob's theory had already been proved to be correct. tons upon tons of rich stone had been raised to the surface. the actual width of the channel was but eight feet; but the amount of cubic contents held in the claim was bound to be several hundred of tons at least, even supposing the drift went no deeper than the already known three feet.
covered with dust and grime, and blackened by powder smoke, bob and jack were working together one morning in the large chamber they had made in the lower workings, and mackay stood patiently by the windlass awaiting the call to raise the boys from the danger below, for they were firing a difficult charge. they had grown quite accustomed to the use of gelignite by this time, and, as mackay proudly informed emu bill, they never once had had a misfire.
on this occasion, however, some delay had occurred owing to the fuse which mackay had sent down becoming detached from the cap. he always arranged the charges on the surface, calculating the number of plugs required, and the length of fuse necessary, when he finished drilling the holes below, leaving the boys to insert the charges and see them properly fired. at last came the warning from jack—"all ready!"—as he slipped his foot in the loop of the[pg 73] wire rope which was hanging in readiness. in a few seconds he was on the surface, while the rope was again rapidly lowered for bob, who was even then lighting a match to apply to the fuse. the two on top heard the match scratch on the box, and immediately thereafter the familiar sputtering of the fuse echoed to their ears, but still no sound from bob! yet the faint, insidious odour of the burning fuse crept up to their nostrils, and they knew that something had happened. mackay's face grew livid.
"it's only a sixty seconds' fuse," he muttered hoarsely. "stand by the windlass, jack. i'll slide down the rope."
jack seemed to awake from a stupor. "i'm lightest," he cried; and threw himself at the rope without waiting for mackay to brake the windlass barrel.
the iron arms of the windlass spun round, a few more loose coils only remained on the barrel. the brawny scot hesitated not an instant. he rushed at the gyrating bar, and received the shock of the descending steel on his bared chest. the windlass rope held firm. another revolution, and it would have run off the barrel and dashed the boy who clung to its strands to a certain death beside his companion. it was all over in a few seconds. not knowing how his impetuous action had nearly caused certain disaster, jack slid down the rope with lightning speed, and almost immediately his steady call—"heave away!"—was heard. and now came the trial of strength where all the science in the world could not assist; only twenty seconds' grace, a double load on the windlass, and twelve plugs of one of the most powerful explosives known beneath! but mackay was equal to the task. the windlass arm spun round once again, and on the fifteenth second jack swung[pg 74] into view, his foot resting in the loop, one lacerated hand grasping tightly at the rope, and supporting in his right arm the blood-dripping form of bob, his comrade. mackay reached out his strong arm, and drew them both to safety just as a thunderous explosion occurred which hurled tons of massive rocks to the shaft mouth and beyond.
five minutes later all three were seated in the tent repairing their bruises, and making sundry comments on the occurrence. bob's face was almost deathly pallid, and the blood still trickled from a deep gash in the back of his head; it appeared that just after he had applied the match to the fuse a portion of the iron roof of the excavation had given way, hurling him unconscious to the ground.
"i remembered no more," said he, "until i found myself in the tent here."
"it was a vera close shave, my lad," said mackay, with suppressed emotion. "i'm no goin' to expatiate on jack's quick action in the matter, but he maist certainly saved your life. it needed some nerve to gang doon on top o' a burnin' charge o' dynamite."
bob smiled affectionately at his companion, and reached out his hand; and jack, flushing almost guiltily, was forced to show his cruelly torn fingers.
"and, bob," said he, almost tearfully, "it was mackay——"
"you stop, right there, youngster," interrupted that gentleman, "i'll tak' nane o' the credit from you. you deserve it a', my lad. i'm proud o' you, i am. now, i think you'd both be the better o' a rest. i'll go up and see how the other boys are getting on. i hope none o' the grinning hyenas noticed anything."
[pg 75]
but the "grinning hyenas" had noticed, and mackay met them in a body immediately he went out of the tent. there was the shadow, nuggety, emu bill, and company hastening forward, dismay showing plainly on their features.
"what's happened, mac? any one killed?" they shouted.
"calm yoursel's, boys, calm yoursel's," adjured mackay, "there's been no serious damage done. but i'll need to timber the roof o' the drive before we do any more work below; a bit o' it fell and gave young bob a nasty crack on the cranium just as he fired a heavy charge. jack got him out a' richt, but it vera nearly was a funeral."
very sincere were the sympathetic expressions of the group. the unassuming attitude of mackay's mates, as the boys were called, their happy temperament, had endeared them to the dwellers on golden flat, and now they trooped into the tent, and, in their rough kindly way, congratulated the pair on their escape, much to jack's confusion. no truer-hearted men could be found than those battered pioneers of the desert land. their life amid nature's grim solitudes is one filled with unceasing cares, unseen dangers lurk for ever in their lonely path, their stern, set faces are but the result of bush environment which insidiously yet surely marks its victims with her stamp of immobility.
"you'll be all right in a day or so, bob," spoke nuggety dick, cheerily, after examining the wound.
"if ye'll let me, i'll take your shift until ye're better," said the shadow, hesitatingly; "i can't do much in my own shaft now without a mate, it's too deep for me to work alone."
[pg 76]
bob thanked him gratefully. "i hate to keep things back," said he, "and if mackay has no objections——"
"don't worry about that, bob," broke in mackay; "i'll mak' use o' the shadow until ye are well again, unless he misbehaves vera badly."
that same afternoon a new discovery was made by emu bill, which had the effect of raising the excitement of the camp to fever heat. having continued his shaft down through the supposed bottom of the golden wash in his claim, he suddenly came upon a strange soapy grey deposit, not unlike putty in appearance.
"that proves we hasn't struck bottom yet," was his verdict, as he examined the odd formation keenly; "there's no pipeclay about that, there isn't." then his eyes blinked and stared and blinked again. "howlin' blazes," he murmured gently to himself, "this will give the boys a shock, it will." he had carelessly broken a piece of the clayey mass between his finger and thumb, and behold, the line of fracture showed golden yellow, and in the dim candle-light innumerable dazzling pin-points of colour gleamed throughout the entire specimen. in a few moments he was on the surface, bearing the cherished find in his hand. "i have got something, nuggety," said he, addressing his partner, "that shid make ye gasp."
nuggety gasped in anticipation, then uttered a yell of delight as his eyes beheld the glittering specimen.
"is it a new level, emu?" he asked eagerly.
emu bill nodded. "round up the boys," said he. "it'll give them mighty encouragement to hiv' a look at this here bonanza." nuggety rushed away at once, and bill ventured another gaze at his treasure. but somehow he did not seem to derive as much satisfaction from this[pg 77] observation. "hang it," he growled, closing his hands tightly over the specimen, "i could ha' sworn i saw more gold than that in it at first."
in a few short minutes he was surrounded by an enthusiastic throng.
"nuggety says you've struck a new level, bill," they cried almost with one voice.
"i hiv' that," said bill, with calm satisfaction, "an' from what i can see, there'll be thousands o' tons o' the stuff in our grounds, an' it's just crammed wi' gold."
he cautiously unclosed his hand, and proffered the wonderful stone to never never dave, who examined it keenly, then passed it on to his next neighbour without a word, eyeing emu bill reproachfully the while. strangely enough, no one seemed to appreciate emu's find but himself; but he smiled and chuckled enough for them all. the last man to examine the specimen was mackay; he was the latest arrival, having been down below, timbering the tunnel in the shaft which had given way so inopportunely, when the great news reached him.
"an' what's this ye've got, bill?" he said, receiving the fateful fragment from old dead broke dan, who sighed deeply as he handed it over. "what is it you're playin' at?" he demanded, after a first cursory glance.
"it's all straight, mac," broke in bill, eagerly. "it's a fair sample, an' there' lots more o' it, too."
mackay eyed the speaker with fast-rising disgust. "dae you ken, emu," said he, slowly, "if it werena for the fact that i got a' the wind squelched oot o' me the day, i would lay violent hands on ye for puttin' up such a meeserable joke on your friends."
poor emu bill looked dazed. "why, what's wrong wi'[pg 78] the gold?" he asked feebly. "surely you ain't goin' to tell me i doesn't know gold from iron pyrites——"
"poor old emu must ha' got a touch o' the sun to-day," grunted never never, sympathetically.
with a snort of indignation, bill clutched back his specimen from mackay, gave one glance at it, then subsided in the sand.
"you're right, boys," he announced from his lowly position in weary dejected tones; "i'm as mad as a hatter."
not a trace of the yellow metal showed in the stone he now held in his hand.
"i would ha' sworn i saw gold in that stuff," he continued pathetically. "no, no, emu bill's finished. crack me on the head, boys, for heaven's sake, an' bury me quick."
"an' me too," groaned nuggety. "i saw the gold, as i'm a livin' sinner, i did."
a glint of joy flashed into bill's eyes at the words, and he struggled to his feet.
"come down into the shaft, mackay, and have a look for yourself," he said. "i do believe the curious stuff is so delicate it can't stand the light."
still somewhat dubious about emu bill's professed honesty of purpose, mackay was not slow to avail himself of the opportunity of judging for himself whether or not the new formation really did carry visible gold. then, noting the truly distressed countenance of his old acquaintance, he relented.
"i believe ye did think ye saw gold, emu," said he, before placing his foot in the sling preparatory to descending the shaft, "an' though i dinna expect to see any[pg 79] glittering bonanza down below here, i'm sort o' convinced you saw it right enough. it's the sun, emu, my man; that's what it is."
bill shook his head feebly; it was all beyond his comprehension.
"i'll come down after you, mac," he said. "it's a mighty funny stuff, and you need to break it before it shows colour."
by this time every man in the camp was around the windlass; even bob, with his bandaged head, had put in appearance, and jack and the shadow were also there. quickly the windlass ran out, and deposited mackay at the new level exposed, and while the rope went up again for bill he lit a candle and peered cautiously around. he was looking for snakes, the bite of a certain variety of which induces strange hallucinations. observing nothing in the shape he dreaded, he heaved a sigh of relief, and turned his attention to the soapy-like stratum from which bill had broken his wonderful specimen. only a dull grey muddy deposit was visible. with a jerk and a rattle the haulage rope came down again, and emu bill arrived at his side.
"i see nothing, bill, my man," grunted mackay.
bill said not a word, but, taking his pick, smote furiously at the deceiving substance, and as it became disintegrated great gleaming streaks and sheets and scintillating points of gold seemed to show all over it.
"can ye see anything, mac?" inquired the wielder of the pick, pausing in his labours, and glancing eagerly at his companion.
"i'm simply flabbergasted," came the slow response.[pg 80] "there seems to be enough gold there to stock a second bank o' england."
he picked up a piece of the strange formation which showed dazzling yellow lines across its newly broken face, and examined it closely and intently; he rubbed it with his finger, and the brilliance vanished.
"we'd better take up some o' the best-looking bits," he suggested.
bill laughed. "why, the hanged stuff won't show a colour on top," he said.
but they decided to chance it all the same, and accordingly mackay arrived on the surface bearing the result of his investigations tightly wrapped in an old handkerchief, and when the package was opened up a cry of admiration broke from all beholders, so beautiful, indeed, did the specimens appear.
a hoarse call from the underground interrupted their scrutiny.
"for heaven's sake, boys, put a chain on that there mirage, until i get a look at it."
and while two men went to the windlass and began to haul bill to the surface, a gradual change began to take place in the nature of the specimens. the yellow sheen grew darker and darker until it shone like bronze, and in this state bill viewed them on his arrival. slowly yet surely the bronze shades merged into a strangely variegated purple hue, and, while the onlookers stared aghast, this gradually evolved into the original clayey aspect of the formation surrounding it.
"well, i'll be jiggered!" ejaculated the shadow.
"it's just a mirage," said bill, grimly.
the rest of the miners did not care to place on record[pg 81] the state of their feelings, their usually fluent enough speech failed them on this trying occasion. mackay broke the silence.
"there can be no doubt aboot the gold being there, boys," said he, "an' in sufficient quantities to make a' oor fortunes—if we could only catch it before it vanished." he stopped, absolutely nonplussed.
bob, who had not yet spoken, advanced and scrutinized the now wholly dulled ore fragments with alert eyes.
"i don't know that i can help you," he said quietly, "but i should like to try. anyhow, it's more in my line than yours, for i've studied chemistry a bit."
"what do you make of it, bob?" asked mackay, quickly.
the reply came promptly from the lips of the thoughtful student.
"the formation contains gold in an unstable state, but more so gold in solution, both of which oxidize on contact with the air."
to say that bob's words created extreme interest would be a very mild statement of fact. his audience was comprised of gold-miners of very varied experience and knowledge, yet none of them had ever heard of such a tantalizing deposit as that they had now encountered.
"i may be wrong," continued bob, "but i don't think there was any mistaking the colours on the stones before they regained their normal aspect. i've seen the same thing often in the laboratory. it was simply purple of cassius, and you'll get the same result by dissolving a small piece of gold in nitric and hydrochloric acids."
"but what about the real gold which was there at[pg 82] first?" inquired emu bill. "it was yellow enough, or i'm colour blind."
bob looked a trifle puzzled. "i should say it was an unstable chloride or sulphide of the metal," he ventured at length. "a combination which very seldom occurs in nature."
"i'm o' the opinion that bob's right," spoke mackay. "this country's full o' odd formations and no one has ever bothered studying them yet."
"if you can save this stuff afore it melts, bob," grunted nuggety dick, "there's bound to be a fortune waiting for you right here; for the clay most likely covers the whole flat."
"i'll take these specimens with me now," decided bob, "and try some experiments with them;" and he gathered up the deceptive samples and made his way back to the tent, leaving the wondering assembly still in a maze of doubt.
"i do believe he can do it," grunted emu bill.
"he's got the finest balanced brain-box i've seen since i struck this howling wilderness," commented never never dave.
"bob can do anything with chemistry," said jack, proudly. then they went their several ways, all pondering deeply.
no more work was done that day: it would have seemed like tempting providence to continue further operations after two such thrilling happenings had taken place. bob quietly set about his task of analyzing the troublesome specimens, then quickly discovered that he required a stock of various acids and alkalis to aid him in his efforts.
[pg 83]
"we're a' running short of stores anyhow," said mackay. "we'd better send some one into the township with the camels, and you could get the chemicals required at the same time."
he straightway went and broached the matter to nuggety dick and his satellites, and it was promptly arranged that old dead broke dan should be despatched with the team at once. it was by this time near the hour of sundown, and the various camel bells of the party could be heard faintly tinkling in the eastward distance.
"i'll round them up in a jiff," volunteered the shadow, starting off at a jog trot.
"i'm coming too, shad!" shouted jack, and together they entered the scrub, and were soon lost to sight. they had not gone far, however, before the shadow stopped and listened with something like dismay showing in his face. the bells seemed to be receding into the distance rather than coming nearer.
"i've never heard o' them brutes travelling so fast," he said discontentedly, and they increased their pace to a determined run, which they kept up for fully ten minutes. the bells sounded distinctly nearer now, but that the camels were on the march was plainly evident to the shadow, whose ear was acutely trained to judging distances by sound.
"i reckon i know what's wrong, jack," said he. "some wretched niggers have got them in tow. it's very lucky we came out to-night."
"is it?" asked jack, doubtfully.
the shadow laughed joyously. "we'll have a grand circus on our own to-night, if there ain't too many of them."
[pg 84]
"but," said jack, "we haven't even a rifle with us, and they'll have their spears and boomerangs, won't they?"
"i've got something that will skeer the beggars quicker than any shooting-iron," replied the shadow. "see, look at this——"
he extracted from some secret recess in his meagre wardrobe a small curiously shaped piece of wood, about six inches long and two inches or so broad, tapering to a fine edge all round.
"that's a ghingi, jack; i just hitch a bit o' string on to the end, and whizz it round in the air, an' it howls like a dyin' dingo."
"but what good does that do?" jack persisted, by no means enlightened.
"what good does it do?" echoed the shadow. "why, when they hear the screech o' the ghingi-ghingi, they'll either vanish right away or come to hear what it says. the ghingi is their devil, you know, but only the sorcerers o' the tribes can make it speak. i made this here ghingi myself, and, by thunder! it can yell like a good 'un, it can."
the shadow was evidently quite delighted at the prospect of making use of his handiwork, and as they strode along he managed to infuse jack with a considerable amount of his enthusiasm. it was now as dark as an australian night could be, but the steadfast radiance of the myriad stars somewhat neutralized the gloom of the shadows and reflected an eerie sort of half light over the motionless tips of the mulga scrub. at last they were almost up on the clanging bells, and if there had been any doubt in jack's mind concerning the accuracy of his[pg 85] companion's surmise as to their unusual clangour it disappeared utterly when he heard the droning chant of the aborigines mingle with the rhythmic peals. they had reached a small clearing in the scrub which permitted an uninterrupted line of vision for nearly half a mile, but before leaving the sheltering timber they hesitated, and peered anxiously across the intervening sand plain, and there in the midst of it, darkly discernible, moved the ghostly camel train.
"now for it," muttered the shadow, getting the ghingi ready for action. "we must round up them camels afore they get into the bush country again."
he whirled his device quickly around his head, and at once a strange moaning broke upon the air. faster and faster he spun it round, and the moaning increased to a weird wailing shriek which penetrated across the plain with shivering intensity. at once the bells ceased their clamour and vague cries of alarm echoed back to the boys.
"let us chase 'em up with it," exclaimed the shadow, throwing all caution aside. "when they hear the ghingi comin' nearer they won't wait to argue long."
together they made a wild burst over the ironshot flat, the ghingi sending forth varying notes of wailing terror as they ran. in their excitement they had not calculated on the nearness of the natives, the silence of the bells perhaps somewhat confused them, but they halted when they found themselves almost on the tail of the last camel, a huge animal which the shadow had no difficulty in recognizing by its unusual size. all this time the harsh unmusical cries of the disquieted aborigines rent their ears, but apparently the dusky band had not yet decided to give up their stolen charges.
[pg 86]
"judging from the volume o' music let loose there must be 'bout half a dozen o' the beggars," whispered the shadow. "here, jack, take this blooming ghingi, and let her rip. my arms are about busted. i'll do a bit o' a yell myself and see what happens."
jack seized the string of the syren and whirled with a will, and from the lips of the shadow there issued a most lugubrious groan, which seemed to combine in it all the horrors that any demon of darkness could have conjured up. that seemed to decide matters; with screams of terror seven or eight stalwart blacks broke away from a point where they had been huddled ahead of the camels; their dark forms were just visible as they fled, and they made a somewhat ghost-like spectacle. jack gave a low chuckle of delight.
"your voice fetched them, shadow," said he.
"keep the ghingi whizzing, jack, keep it whizzing!" came the agonized reply. "i couldn't do it again for all the gold in australia. my throat's burst, it is."
their concerted action was now prompt and effective. in a trice the shadow had a grip of the nose-rope of the leading camel, and had turned the unwieldly train on a backward course. once more the bells rang out their noisy clamour, yet still the ghingi sounded loud and shrill, and still the jarring cries of the stricken warriors echoed in reply from a not too remote distance. the adventuresome pair were not yet out of all danger. indeed it soon became evident to them that the mystified aborigines were not altogether willing to accept the warning call of the ghingi as a reason for the total abdication of their plunder. their discordant cries were just a bit too close to be pleasant.
[pg 87]
"if they rush us, jack," the shadow hoarsely whispered, as he tugged at misery's nose-rope, "we'll have to make a bolt for it."
jack grunted a sympathetic affirmative. "i can't swing this wretched old ghingi much longer," he said.
even while he spoke the savages seemed to decide on a definite course of action; their yells suddenly grew louder and nearer. it was very probable they had observed the boys through the gloom, and were thus awakened to a knowledge of the ruse by which they had been deceived. anyhow there could be no doubt as to their intentions; they meant to recapture the camels, and that right speedily, and yet the shadow was loth to leave his charges.
"they'll get us when we enter the scrub," said he, with dismal resignation. "the beggars won't tackle us in the open. i reckon we'll have to do a scoot, jack."
jack had already arrived at that conclusion; but now, as he rested from his labours for an instant, a bright idea seized him. they were scarcely a hundred yards from the edge of the timber; whatever was to be done must be done quickly. without a word he rushed back to the rearmost camel, and hastily secured the tongue of the bell encircling its neck by passing it through a loop in the leathern thong which hung loose for that purpose. moving hurriedly on he silenced each of the jangling bells in the same way, and for a short space the cumbrous train proceeded in absolute quiet.
"they'll think we've stopped, and it may keep them back for a bit," jack whispered.
the shadow nodded comprehensively. it had come as a shock to him that this new chum companion of his[pg 88] should have thought of the simple plan first, and he felt somewhat aggrieved in consequence. surely enough the yells of the natives seemed to recede into the distance; the silence of the bells had certainly confused them.
"they'll be with us in a jiff," calmly said the shadow, as they entered the scrub, in which prognostication he was quite correct.
a chorus of fiercer yells than before suddenly broke upon the still air, then came the angry beating of spears upon shields, and the pat-pat of many feet on the sand. but now came another unexpected diversion. away in the distance a heavy report boomed out; again and again the thunderous echoes of exploding cordite crashed through the night.
the shadow chuckled long and joyously. "that's mackay's new rifle," he said. "i would know the crack of it anywhere."
other and varying discharges quickly followed, making it plain that the entire community at golden flat had grown alarmed at the prolonged absence of the boys, and were signalling in order to guide their return in the darkness. the yelling horde at the first ominous sound had ceased their clamour, but soon they broke out afresh and with renewed energy. they meant to make one more effort to recover their prize before it was hopelessly beyond their reach. with appalling shouts they quickly drew near.
"it's hard luck to be forced to clear out now," complained jack, marvelling much at his companion's unsubdued joy.
that wily youth quietly unhitched the bells from the necks of the three leading camels.
"i think we'll best the niggers after all, jack," he[pg 89] said. "i wasn't exactly willing to let you risk it before; but you can steer by the gunshots, can't you?"
"of course," replied jack, clutching at the nose-rope of misery which the shadow had relinquished.
"well, you take the team into camp, and i'll run the niggers a bit o' a circus dance." he was gone at once, but not an instant too soon; the blacks were already within a hundred yards of them.
jack continued his course guided by the reports which now rang out at regular intervals, and he smiled quietly to himself when a confused jangle of bells sounded away to the southward, and his smile developed into a hearty laugh when, with howls presumably of delight, the warrior band stampeded in that direction.
"i think the shadow knows how to take care of himself," he reflected contentedly, as he continued his course in peace.
the shadow's trick was certainly effective. it was also risky, but that feature seemed rather enjoyable than otherwise to the impetuous young australian. far to the south he sped, jangling the bells at intervals to draw his pursuers on, and when their noisy yelling sounded too close for his liking, he silenced the tell-tale alarms and veered off in a different direction, always taking care to work in towards the camp. a veritable will-o'-the-wisp he was, and the baffled natives soon tired of their hopeless chase, no doubt marvelling much at the extraordinary activity shown by the fleeing camel train!
at the camp considerable consternation was felt over the non-return of the camel hunters. they had been gone over two hours, before mackay ventured to express his fears for their safety.
[pg 90]
"the shadow must have got twisted in his bearings," he said. "the bells were within a couple o' miles off when they started, and they seem to have gone further away instead o' comin' nearer."
"mebbe the cantankerous brutes bolted," suggested nuggety dick. "the shadow couldn't bush hissel' in creation wi' the old cross showin' in the sky."
so, indeed, they all thought, but each of them felt strangely anxious nevertheless, and when mackay fetched his rifle from his tent and began to blaze away methodically, they were not long in following his lead. the bells had been some time out of range when the first shot was fired, but suddenly their harsh jangling burst afresh on their ears, and to their surprise and dismay they seemed to be heading towards the south.
"keep your popguns going," said mackay. "the shadow must have lost his nerve and got slewed."
so was the young bushman condemned and abused while he pursued his erratic course, and jack came in for more sympathy than he would have appreciated had he been within hearing.
"what in thunder can the howlin' idiot mean by zig-zagging like that?" exclaimed never never dave, listening to the intermittent peals of the bells with deep concern. then faintly over the mulga scrub came the yells of the discomfited blacks, and at once golden flat camp was aroused to strenuous action; scarcely a word was spoken, each man gripped his rifle, and almost as one body, they made a wild burst in the direction from which the alarming sounds had come. and bob, though almost in a high fever from the effects of the wound in his head, entirely forgot his weakness, and kept pace with mackay.
[pg 91]
silent and grim, like a raging nemesis, the small company hurried on their vengeful way; but they had not gone far when they became aware of a slight commotion in the bush directly in their path, and almost before they could realize it, the great hulking forms of the camels loomed out through the darkness, with jack at their head.
"well, i'll be kicked! and why isn't ye slaughtered, young feller?" demanded nuggety dick, in helpless amazement. "we never dreamt o' seein' ye alive again——"
"where's the shadow, jack?" interrupted mackay.
jack laughed. "he's acting decoy for the blacks," he said.
the big man seemed to tremble with suppressed emotion.
"and i was blaming him for getting bushed!" he said, in a tone of deep self-reproach.
a harsh jangle of bells close at hand interrupted further speech, and a cheery voice spoke from the gloom.
"say, boss, ye needn't ever be skeerd 'bout me gettin' bushed; but them camel bells are mighty heavy, an' i'm just about blown out waltzing them around."
the shadow approached, gave the bells a final shake, then flung them with a clatter to the ground. a few words served to explain matters, and it was with a feeling of devout thankfulness that the party returned slowly to camp.
"you must never run risks like that again, my laddies," mackay admonished quietly, in the midst of the general rejoicings over the plucky rescue of the camel train.
"jack and me didn't take no risks," came the gay[pg 92] reply. "we always knew by their howling when the beggars were coming too close. it's been a grand picnic for us both, hasn't it, jack?"
"i wouldn't have missed it for anything," answered jack, with a chuckle of keen delight.
