The Gold Hunter's Adventures Or, Life In Australia Volume 2 ( Of 2 ) - William H. Thomes (large screen ebook reader txt) 📗

His Situation.

When The Flash Did Reveal His Position, We Saw That He Was Clinging To

Some Rocks Most Tenaciously, While The Boiling Waters Were Bubbling Over

His Head, Which He Made No Attempt To Raise Beyond The Reach Of Danger.

 

"Crawl Up The Bank, You Loon!" Cried Mr. Wright, But The Advice Was

Unheeded.

 

"Save Me!" Yelled Mike; "I Can't Swim And I'm Filled With The Bloody

Dust, That Weighs Me Down Like Lead. A Thousand Dollars To The Man Who

Gives Me His Hand First."

 

"Well, Give Me The Thousand Dollars, And I'll Help You Out," Mr. Wright

Said, Facetiously.

 

"Ah, Master Dear, Won't You Take My Word For The Money, Or Wait Till I

Arn It?"

 

"Just As I Always Thought," Grumbled Our Host; "An Irishman Will Promise

Any Thing In Distress, Even While He Knows That He Has No Means Of

Performing His Engagements."

 

"But Isn't It Better To Do So, Master Dear, Than To Make No Promises And

Die?" Asked The Irishman, And I Rather Thought That He Had Him On That

Question.

 

"Perhaps You Are Right," Our Host Answered, And Extending His Hand, He

Helped Mike To Terra Firma, And Landed Him Just As Kala Informed Us That

The Ford Was Ten Or Twelve Rods Down The Stream.

Volume 2 Chapter 75 (Mike Tumbles Into The River.--Arrival Of The Bushrangers) Pg 196

 

Mike Recovered His Spear, And We Once More Started, Under The Guidance

Of The Natives, And Quickly Gained The Spot That We Had Spent So Much

Time In Searching For.

 

The Ford Had Been Used But Seldom, And Resembled The Rest Of The Creek,

With The Exception That The Bushes And Underbrush Had Been Cut From The

Banks Of The Stream, So That Horses, And Other Cattle, After Fording,

Could Gain The Plain Without Trouble.

 

Kala Threw Himself Upon His Hands And Knees, And Carefully Examined, By

The Lightning Flashes, The Various Footprints Which Marked The Spot, And

Which The Heavy Rain Had Failed To Wash Away.

 

"Well, Kala," Mr. Wright Said, Impatiently.

 

"No Come Yet," Answered The Native, Quietly.

 

"Are You Sure Of That?" Our Host Asked.

 

"I Might Have Known That, If I Had Only Given The Subject A Thought,

Muttered Our Host.

 

"Well, What Are We To Do?" Asked Mr. Brown, Gathering His Oil-Cloth

Around His Person, And Evidently Thinking Of The Punch, And A Good

Night's Rest; "Are We To Stay Here Until Daylight, And Watch For A Party

Of Men Who May Be Upon The Summit Of Mount Tarrengower At The Present

Time? I Wouldn't Object To Waiting, But I Don't Like The Idea Of Sitting

Here And Doing Nothing, While The Rain Is Endeavoring To Obtain A Nearer

Acquaintance With My Neck And Bosom."

 

"I Don't See Any Other Course," Mr. Wright Replied; "It's Evident That

The Devils Have Not Crossed The Creek, And Can't To-Night, But The

Streams Of Australia Subside Rapidly, And The Instant The Rain Ceases To

Fall They Will Attempt To Ford. We Must Stay Here And Watch For The

Scamps. Remember The Female Prisoners."

 

"It's All Very Well To Say Remember The Females, But If I Ruin My Health

Who Is To Remember Me, And Take Care Of Me?" Grumbled Mr. Brown.

 

"I Will," Promptly Responded Our Host.

 

"Then I Suppose That I Must Stay Here All Night, And Make A Fool Of

Myself By Running My Head Into Danger, As I Have Done Fifty Times

Before, And Get No Thanks For It--Hullo! What Was That?"

 

Before Mr. Brown Spoke, Kala Had Glided To The Side Of Mr. Wright, And

Called His Attention, In A Quiet Manner, To A Crashing Of Brunches That

He Had Heard On The Other Side Of The River. Our Host Was Too Busy

Listening To The Ravings Of Mr. Brown To Pay Attention To Him At That

Moment, And The Native Knew The Disposition Of His Master Too Well To Be

Imperative, So Kala Didn't Have The Honor Of Alarming Our Squad, Or

Calling Attention To What Was Going On On The Other Side.

 

Volume 2 Chapter 75 (Mike Tumbles Into The River.--Arrival Of The Bushrangers) Pg 197

In An Instant After Mr. Brown's Exclamation, There Was A Breathless

Silence, And Not A Man Moved To The Right Or Left.

 

"They Come," Whispered Kala.

 

He Was Correct In His Supposition, For In A Few Minutes We Could Hear

The Party We Were In Pursuit Of Halt At The Edge Of The Brook, Opposite

To Us, And Discuss The Prospect Of Attempting To Ford, High As The Water

Was.

 

We Quietly Retreated Behind Trees And Bushes, So That The Lightning

Should Not Reveal Our Presence To The Enemy, But We Were No Sooner

Secreted Than We Were Rewarded By Getting A View Of The Four

Bushrangers, Who Were Holding Horses, On Which Were Mounted The Two

Females, Whose Capture Had So Excited Our Sympathy.

 

"D----N It, Bill," I Heard One Of The Fellows Exclaim, For The Creek Was

Not More Than Four Yards Across, "Didn't I Tell You That We Couldn't

Ford Here To-Night With The Hosses? If We Had Come The Other Way Twould

Been All Right."

 

"Yes, And Run Our Heads Flat Agin That D----D Wright, Who Is Always On

The Lookout, With His Tribe Of Cussed Irishmen, Ready To Fight Or Drink

Bad Whiskey," Grumbled The Man Whom They Had Called Bill.

 

"Do Ye Hear Him Reflecting On Me Country?" Whispered Mike, Grasping His

Long Spear, As Though He Would Like To Encounter The Libellers Of His

Countrymen Without A Moment's Delay.

 

"Be Quiet," Ordered Mr. Wright, "And Let Us Hear What The Villains Talk

About."

 

"If It Hadn't Been For These 'Ere Wimin, We Might Have Been Out Of This

Fix," Cried The First Speaker, Still Grumbling.

 

"Well, What Could We Do With 'Em, 'Cept Bring 'Em Along?" Asked Bill.

 

"Do With Em?" Cried The Ruffian, With A Bitter Oath, "Why, Draw Our

Knives Across Their Throats, And Let 'Em Run. That's The Way To Clear

Out Prisoners. Women Have No Business With The Gang. There's Always A

Quarrel About 'Em."

 

"And 'Spose There Is? Ain't It A Compliment To The Dear Creatures? I'd

Rather Fight For 'Em, I Tell You, Than Not See Their Faces After They

Get Good Natured, And The Cap'n Generally Brings 'Em Round In A Precious

Short Time."

 

"Eh, Don't He?" Grunted The Third Man, Speaking For The First Time.

 

"I Tell Ye My Plan Is Best, And It's Time Ye Knowed It. We Carry Half A

Dozen Into Camp To Eat Up The Grub, And Make The Men Lazy. There's No

Getting Work Out Of The Coveys While They Is Alive, And You Know It."

 

"For Pity's Sake Kill Us, And End Our Misery," I Heard One Of The

Volume 2 Chapter 75 (Mike Tumbles Into The River.--Arrival Of The Bushrangers) Pg 198

Females Say, Appealing To The Fellow Who Seemed In Favor Of Killing

Prisoners, To Save The Trouble Of Taking Care Of Them.

 

"If I Had My Way, I'd Do It D----D Quick," He Grumbled.

 

"We Are Tired, And Can Hardly Sit On The Horses. For The Sake Of Your

Mothers, Who Were Women, Leave Us Here In The Wilderness To Perish, Or

To Find Shelter, As It Shall Please Heaven."

 

"Cease That Whine Of Yours, Or I'll Throw You Into The Creek,"

Threatened The Ruffian Of The Party.

 

"Do So, If You Dare!" Exclaimed Another Voice, Which I Imagined Belonged

To A Female Of More Advanced Age Than The First Speaker; "You Are Ugly

Enough For Any Thing," She Continued, Growing Excited As She Proceeded,

And Raising Her Voice Until It Approached A Scream, "But I Don't Believe

That You Have The True Courage Of A Man. A Man!" She Repeated, "You Are

Nothing But A Tailor. Where's Your Goose?"

 

I Could Hear The Bushrangers Indulge In A Chuckling Laugh, As Though The

Language Used To Their Companion Was Relished.

 

"Stop Your Mouth, You Dirty ----, Or I'll Stuff A Goose Down Your

Throat!" Shouted The Ruffian, Furious With Rage.

 

"You?" She Asked, Contemptuously; "Why, If My Old Man Was Within Sound

Of My Voice, You Would Run Like A Sheep From A Dog. You Are The Biggest

Coward Connected With The Gang, And They Only Keep You 'Cos You Can Mend

Their Clothes. A Tailor! Bah, You Are Only The Ninth Part Of A Man, And

A Botch At That."

 

"By G----D, Woman, You Shall Feel The Length Of My Knife If You Don't

Close Your Mouth," Shouted The Ruffian, That The Woman Was Goring To

Madness.

 

"O Nancy, Do Be Quiet," Cried Her Companion.

 

"Keep Quiet For The Threat Of That Braggart?" The Shrill-Voiced Woman

Demanded; "Why, If I Had A Bodkin I'd Spit Him On It." "Would You?"

Cried The Bushranger; "Then I'll Give You A Taste Of The Same Sort Of

Stuff!"

 

We Heard A Struggle For A Few Seconds, And Then The Earnest Tones Of The

Most Liberal Ruffian In Remonstrance.

 

"Put Up Your Knife, You Fool, And Don't Let A Woman Get The Better Of

You. Don't You See That She's Trying To Provoke You To Kill Her."

 

"And I Will Do It, Too," Yelled The Brute.

 

"No You Won't, Not As Long As I've Got Charge Of This Squad. I Ain't

Going To Do All The Work, And Then Let You Act As You Please, By A

D----N Sight. Touch That Woman, And I'll Make A Hole In Your Side Big

Enough To Throw In A Bible. Put Up Your Knife, And Let Us See If We

Volume 2 Chapter 75 (Mike Tumbles Into The River.--Arrival Of The Bushrangers) Pg 199

Can't Cross The Creek Before Daylight."

 

"Well, Don't Let Her Insult Me Again, That's All," The Fellow Said, In

Reply To The Threat, Although It Seemed That He Was Prepared To Obey The

Order, Much