The Gold Hunter's Adventures Or, Life In Australia Volume 2 ( Of 2 ) - William H. Thomes (large screen ebook reader txt) 📗
- Author: William H. Thomes
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The Ex-Inspector.
"But My Case Was A Peculiar One, For The First Night That I Stopped On
Shore My Hundred Pounds Were Stolen," Continued Mr. Wright.
"Quite A Common Case," My Friend Said; "Women Are Fair To Look Upon
After A Long Sea Voyage."
"D---- It, You Have 'Hit The Nail On Its Head," Cried The Englishman,
Hastily. "I Lost All My Money."
"I Knew You Would Say That, If You Told All. Go On."
"I Complained To The Police, And You Investigated The Circumstances, And
Found My Hundred Pounds After Some Trouble," He Continued. "Be Thankful
That I Was Young And Inexperienced At That Period," Cried The
Ex-Inspector, With A Laugh.
"More--You Refused To Accept Of A Reward That I Offered For The Recovery
Of The Money."
"I Must Have Been Dreaming. I Am Glad To Think That There Is One
Circumstance In My Life That I Can Refer To And Not Blush," Cried My
Friend, Jocosely.
"Bah!" Cried The Farmer, Who Didn't Believe That Mr. Brown Was Speaking
What He Felt. "You Gave Me Good Advice, And From It I Trace All My
Property."
"I Am Glad To Think That I Have Given One Person Good Advice In My
Lifetime. I Wish That I Had Taken Some Of It Myself."
"I Followed Your Directions And Bought Stock With My Hundred Pounds, And
Now Look Around And See My Flocks. I Count My Cattle By The Thousands,"
Continued Mr. Wright, Pointing To His Immense Pens.
"I Remember You," My Friend Said, "And Knew You The Instant You Spoke,
But I Preferred To Let You Recall Reminiscences Of By-Gone Days, To See
If There Is Any Gratitude In The World."
"Gratitude?" Echoed Mr. Wright; "Darn It, Man, When You Are Tired Of
Stopping With Me I'll Give You A Hundred Head Of Cattle."
"Don't Do It, For Mercy's Sake. I Prefer That You Should Give Us
Something To Eat Now. Show Your Liberality That Way, For We Are
Famishing."
"Eat, Man! You Shall Have The Best That I Can Get. Here, Mike, Pat,
Peter, Where Am You All? Take Charge Of The Gentlemen's Horses, And Give
Them A Feed Of Grain And A Thorough Rubbing Down. Put Supper On The
Table Instantly, And Brew Us A Bowl Of Punch That Will Make Us Sing Like
Nightingales, And Sleep Like Honest Men. This Way, Gentlemen, There Is
My House--Rough And Uncouth, But Better Than The Shelter Of A Tree
During A Rainy Night. You Are Welcome To My Hospitality."
Volume 2 Chapter 74 (Supper.--Return Of Mr. Wright's Scouts) Pg 187
The Room Into Which Mr. Wright Conducted Us Was On The Ground Floor, And
Was About Thirty Feet Deep And Fifteen Feet Wide. Around The Walls Were
Hung Skins Of Kangaroos, Stuffed Parrots, And Other Birds Of Gaudy
Plumage, While Confined In Brackets Were Old Muskets In Sufficient
Quantities To Frighten All The Natives Of Australia, But Their
Appearance, Imposing As They Were, Would Not Have Sufficiently Impressed
A Bushranger Of Nerve Into The Belief That They Were Dangerous, Even If
Loaded With Their Proper Quantum Of Powder And Lead.
We Had Hardly Crossed The Threshold Of The Building When A Shrill Voice
Greeted Us With,--
"D----N Bushrangers--D----N Bushrangers--Caught At Last!--Ha, Ha!--I
Knew It!--I Said So!--Steal Sheep, Will You?"
We Started Back At Such A Reception, And Mr. Brown Began To Mutter
Something About "Gratuitous Insults," When Mr. Wright Pointed To A
Remarkably Large Parrot That Was Roosting On The Back Of A Chair,
Surveying Us With Quiet Dignity, And Evidently With Considerable Worldly
Wisdom.
Our Anger Vanished, And We Made Immediate Overtures To Poll, For The
Purpose Of Establishing A Firm Friendship, But Our Advances Were Met
With Dignified Coolness, While Day, Who Attempted To Scratch The Bird's
Volume 2 Chapter 74 (Supper.--Return Of Mr. Wright's Scouts) Pg 188Head, Got Severely Bitten For His Pains.
"D----N The Beast!" Muttered The Shepherd, Rubbing His Finger.
"That's Right--Swear! D----N It, Why Don't You Swear? Sheep Stealers!
Who Robs People? Ha, Ha! Set The Dogs On 'Em!"
"A Precocious Parrot," Said Mr. Wright, "And He Is Indebted For His
Profanity To My Men, Who Learn Him Much That Is Bad, And Little That Is
Good, And To Tell The Truth, He Learns The Former Much More Readily Than
The Latter."
"In Which He Closely Resembles Our Policemen," Muttered The
Ex-Inspector.
"These Gentlemen Are My Friends," Said Mr. Wright, Addressing The
Parrot, And Formally Presenting Us For Its Distinguished Consideration.
"O, Friends, Hey?" Croaked The Bird, Eyeing Us Sharply; "Why Didn't You
Say So Before? Give Toll Something; Pretty Poll!"
We Were Unable To Comply With The Request, And The Parrot Didn't Spare
Us In His Denunciations For Our Illiberality, And To Relieve Us, Mr.
Wright Proposed That We Should Visit His Private Apartment And Change
Our Clothes, Seeing That We Stood In Need Of Different Raiment Very
Much, And Having None Of Our Own At Hand.
The Room Into Which We Were Shown Was Used As A Sleeping Apartment And
Wardrobe By The Proprietor Of The Station, And While It Contained But
Few Of The Luxuries Of Civilized Life, It Was Not Entirely Destitute Of
A Comfortable Appearance.
In One Corner Was A Rude Bedstead, With A Hair Mattress And Blankets, A
Looking Glass Of Miniature Dimensions, A Rifle Of English Pattern, Heavy
And Cumbersome, A Pair Of Splendid Duelling Pistols, A Long Sword With
Basket Hilt, And A Bowie Knife.
"Here's Where I Sit And Read, And Sometimes Write," Said Our Host,
Throwing Open A Window To Enable Us The Better To See His Treasures; "My
Library Is Small, And I Seldom Make Additions To It, But The Few Books
Which I Have Are Like Friends Whom I Can Trust, Old And True. Now I
Desire That You Shall Change Your Garments, And If You Wish, Take A Bath
Before Supper."
The Proposition Which Our Host Made Was Not To Be Neglected, For My Skin
Felt As Though Parched In An Oven, And My Clothes Were So Scorched That
They Were Ready To Fall To Pieces. We Did Not Scruple, Therefore, To
Avail Ourselves Of The Courtesy Of Mr. Wright, And After A Wash In A
Huge Hogshead, That Was Used For Bathing Purposes, We Once More Found
Ourselves Comfortable, With Clean Garments, And When We Were Dressed
Supper Was Announced.
Day, Who Had Participated In Our Toils And Struggles, And Whom We Had
Learned To Regard With Considerable Affection, Declined Seating Himself
Volume 2 Chapter 74 (Supper.--Return Of Mr. Wright's Scouts) Pg 189At The Table With Us, And All Our Urging Did Not Overcome His
Diffidence, Although Backed By Mr. Wright, But, I Must Confess, Rather
Feebly, And It Was So Evident That The Farmer Did Not Care About The
Company Of Day That I No Longer Urged It.
"I Saw The Fire That Is Raging In The Woods Early This Morning," Mr.
Wright Said, When He Saw That Our Appetites Were Slightly Checked, "And
I Feared That It Would Spread This Way, And So Gave Orders To Drive In
The Cattle And Pen Them Up Until All Danger Was Passed. I Was More
Willing To Do This From The Fact That My Two Australians Reported
Bushrangers In The Vicinity, And That, After Hovering Around For A Day
Or Two, They Had Left For Mount Tarrengower."
While Mr. Wright Was Speaking, We Could Hear Roars Of Laughter In The
Next Room, Which Seemed To Be The Kitchen.
"My Men Are At Their Supper, And I Suppose That Your Follower, Whom Some
Of My People Tell Me Belongs At The Next Station, Is Amusing Them With
His Wonderful Adventures."
"He Is As Honest A Fellow As Ever Lived, And Has Served Us Most
Faithfully. Without His Aid We Should Not Have Escaped The Fury Of As
Savage A Flock Of Bushrangers As Ever Roamed Through The Woods Of
Australia."
I Spoke With Some Warmth, For I Considered That Day Deserved As Good
Treatment As Ourselves.
"I Don't Doubt His Honesty Or His Bravery," Returned Our Host, Dryly,
"But I Am Compelled To Believe That If You Knew How Much I Have To
Contend With Here In The Wilderness, Hardly Knowing Friend From Foe, And
Desired To Treat All Alike, I Am Sure That You Would Not Think Hard Of
Me If I Did Desire To Exclude The Shepherd From The Table. Be Assured
That He Is Happier Where He Is, And When Another Stockman Visits My Farm
He Will Not Be Expected To Sit At The Same Table With Myself. Discipline
Is What Keeps My Men In Subjection."
Another Roar Of Laughter From The Kitchen, And The Servant Who Attended
Upon Our Table Entered The Apartment With A Broad Grin Upon His Face.
"Well, Jackson, Something Is Going On In The Kitchen That Amuses You As
Well As The Rest," Mr. Wright Said.
"Yes, Sir; That Covey From The Other Station Is Telling The Funniest
Things About His Playing Ghost, And Frightening Bushrangers Into Fits.
He's A Wild 'Un, And No Mistake."
A Sudden Darkness And Pattering Of Rain Drops Outside Told Us That The
Storm Had Begun, And We Felt Thankful That We Were Under Shelter For The
Night.
"Tell The Men Who Are On Duty To Look Well To The Cattle, And Then Make
Themselves Comfortable For The Night," Our Host Said, Addressing The
Man, Who Seemed To Be Mr. Wright's Especial Attendant.
Volume 2 Chapter 74 (Supper.--Return Of Mr. Wright's Scouts) Pg 190
The Person Alluded To Departed On His Errand, And While He Was Gone We
Surveyed The Heavens From The Windows, And Found That The Clouds Were
Black And Full Of Moisture, While The Rain Was Descending In Torrents.
"Let It Continue This Way For An Hour Or Two, And I Shall Have The
Pleasure Of Your Company For A Day Or Two At
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