“ALMA.”

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XX, Issue 2023, 28 January 1887, Page 1 (Supplement)

“ALMA.”

An Oki'iiv.u, ArsTRAM\w Si""' - , BT HAIVLD STEPHEN L.-g., M l’. I’F M W n' TII WAI.r 1 . • AH liijhtt Hutn'l. I CHAPTER XIV. THK GBr.ll GO Ll' KOEBSKV. A dark, sultry night. The •* Pride of Ihr Ocean ” is ready (or sea, and will tail a break of da\. Her crew are ad aboard: her hatches are battened down, and in lie captain's cabin is gold to the value of £IOO,OOO. Twelve o'clock. The watch is chang'd but the relieved men do go below. A> •; gently they lower one of the boats, then a! proceed to the forecastle. A -tilled cry ar.-e in another minute, and then twenty men. be by the landsman. Vanderdeckcn. creep nov. le;—ly along the deck. and. as they reach in ('(Beers' <iuarter.», divide. One party pr 'e ; c. onward to the captain's cabin, others Oat”' themselves at tin' doors of those of tb mate?. More -tiffed cries and nope of r vn: ghng ; and, tr« no'iute- later, th" boat itilled with men. orm-of whe>ni bear with non hove The bo:.’ lio'e" .-tT from the ship's in, and with ntulded oats the men pull to laud. Then, in the midst of a thicket, they op-fit theb-'ics. each man produces aleathern .a s and th« rornents i f the boxes are careful divided, so that m b man's share of the spoil t" aVit t'.'.ntMi in -.alue. 1 ha* don-. tl»v .-iiemly disjtcirf-their - . r'i i; don. . n ! ■ -i lit® .IS : "i iatioll i- at an .el.

IV i'.cip "1 th* e-vneis of the " Pride of ■o- t'W -pc- F down from Melbourne ~iiv in tbe m-ruir.,:. ami. standing on the ,-icr. lied the .kip. Nmn-werl Is it po.-sible hat rvrnbod' c a i-cp at that hour ? It is , .- dock, and 1— ought even now to be

, -d r v ••i , .rh. C" •■•iitiv bis dioure aUtac 1 ihe attention ’ -i.- cof the new of a small river s-reamer in u-.ar In-, and they too had the Pride - llt.t ,I! o, o j nri-eso, and the captain of •he .vs.wi b- me -, to respect something near r-ie trith. lb tlhiik*!. ashas happenedmany i Tyne i' 10. Ib a the . rew have diverted in a l ed;. but he <ioe not dream that liter have taken’" ith them each a fortune. Being cunoUs and nettled, he jumps into hia dingy, vail* o'er to tin pier, and invites the agent to •'■■ in him. 'lle-v then row over to the ship, and climber up h* r side-. Still 'lienee . but another minute solves the mv-ten. In th.-captain's cabin the lockers are In ok mi open, and on the lloor, bound ami gaa-H. lie; the -.kipper. The mate:; are found in the same condition, and m the forecastle are two .seam* o "ho have bc*’n similarly C'-ate i. i''nt.no Sooner, on his release, sal up and ■ or. lor li "iiii'iie-. Having completely •.ihan-'ed hi- -."cabulaty in that lime, he Piuio 1 and ihm the agent a'kcl him what ); id happened ■ Now.' ..aid tin i iptaiu. " would any man >,v re it|.,i a v.ioie man a -ane "bile man ■ foil a b -m hj a p.ieUioo I What has ;-«pjien.-i . (m i i"ii le "hat lia- hap-pert-'d ’ b..ii ['." ib 1 by a gang of fdood; -minded pirates, who re collared -'.ich , -1>; .i -11 enald" lil'o’l to lire like '•ynllef"'n bo the reh of tlmir lives."! 'Vac tip v your o»n crew , Av, eur.e them ! All shipped by that young Lerae 01-.' Is be in u t'Ri ■Bv the .boi l. I •-hotiidnT wonder il he was' replied the eaptain. “It doe; look *ather • unoio tha f Ik hould he able to g> t a crew in «u*h » hum. Confound my eats, ,f 1 don't think he "d- in the swindle from the lump 1 • Weir rmi .peaking of in.. Captain .Shor(or asked i’-erti", who, reb-ase l hy the captain of the steamer, had come up hi time to hear the la-t speech of his commander. ‘ Curse me it 1 s>- why I should deny it . I am speaking of jou. young man ; and I guess von U have to prove your innocence in a court id justice. Your gang have robbed this ship, and i hold you responsible.” Bertie turned pale, as the difficulties of his situation became every moment more plain to him ; but he frit that argument was useless, sad so field hia peace. Half an hour later he was arrested at the instance of the ship's agent, and at cnce lodged in the miserable little lock-up at Williamatown, where he had for company a hideous mob of drunken sailors and petty thieves.

Bertie Lcracortc, alter the unmentionable horrors of a night, passed in such a horrible deu as the lock-up at Williamstown, in 185U, w»e in no .'raiim of mind to grapple with the difficult":* of his situation when brought before ilk magistrates at Melbourne. He made n , defence; called no witnesses : asked no questions. but simply contented himself with indignantly repudiating the charge against him. and relapsed into a condition rf listless apathy, from which he wa* afotutd only -"hen a policeman touched hij arm. and rationed to him to leave the dock. Wh.il is if? ’ he asked, with fretful impatieKC.. Can you not leave hie alone ?' •• The care is finished, 11 said the policeman. “ And 1 am acquitted 7” mid Bertie, with rime apathy.

•• Remanded for a week- stand aside. If ye can pet bail, maybe their worships ’ull lot ve out. If ye can't. it's to gaol ye’ll have to r-o. like many a better man.’’

Bail? Got bail" Who was bo to ask? Ik had nor friend nor relative south of the ■quiitor it was cruel mockery to propose -m il an alternative to a man in his position. Ifiitic tinned to iho bench, and, for Ibc first lime, addressed lira magistrates, asking if they would be pleased to admit him to bail on his own recognisances. \ smile illuminated the face of the presiding magistrate, which repeated through all the tm difiralions of broad grins and gentle laughter, until it broke into rude guffaws amongst the vulgar audience. •' It is impossible,’’ said the chairman, wh-n order was at length restored. “1 am not sure that nr, should bo justified in granting bail at all in siieh a case as this, but, certainly. unless 'mm good and substantial security ran be found, t/iii could not be suffered to go at large." “And Ibis is British justice!” exclaimed Bertie, indignantly. “If the innocent are so treated, find help the guilty !”

•• Remove the prisoner, " said an inspector of polite, and Bertie had soon ample opportunity for pursuing his speculations without (ear of interruption. In due cmir.-e the trial came on. but the judge, without catling trpon Bertie for his d?fen"c. directed the jury to acquit him. rl the eridonce was wholly insufficient toincriin. inatr him. Me was acquitted accordingly, andjpft the court '-.'(A a stain upon his character! CHAPTER XV. A Ii.MWKO FllfKNn. Two months’ incarceration in a gaol, amongst thieves and bad characters, with the, certainly that every individual around him uric red him to he guilty of a great crime, would, rery naturally, have a considerable of- . i upon any man. The consciousness of inn.vi nee, when suffering under unmerited degradation. I|r no means lends to give courage to the sufferer. It may produce rage, or terror, or melancholy ; but the very fact that i man i« un justly accused of crime, will make him dread the possibility of even yet further ignominy happening to him. The criminal, ,m the contrary, when found out, only meets what he has expected might befall him, and nerves himself for the conflict with all the n it at his command.

Th.- clever criminal lawyer knows this, and r.etcr judges a man to be guilty only because he exhibits confusion or trepidation when placed in the dock. Thus it happened (lint the judge was actually prepossessed in Bertie’s favour by his abstrac ted and listless demeanour when up for trial. But the police consider things from a totally different point of view. In their eyes, every accused person is guilty, and an acquittal is, to them, merely a miscarriage of justice. So it came about that instructions were issued that a watch should be set over- Bertie, and he left the court, as aforesaid, with a stain on his character.

In point of fact, this was just one of those cases in which the Scotch verdict of “ not proven " would have been returned, had such a bmling been admissible in Victoria. The young matt had suffered so bitterly that the iron had entered into his soul, and he Knew not what to do, nor whither to turn. Had he been of a baser nature, or breeding, he might have sought to revenge himself upon that Society which had wronged him, arid, p.'ihup ,m time, developed into a lirst-clasa criminal. But. instinctively, 1m- felt that i.'W.'e -i (•//<>-, and (lie idea of such retaliation ITT emt occurred to him.

An older man, of morbid temperament, might, perhaps, have committed suicide ; and the majority would surely have sought forgetfulness in drink. But BertieLeracorledid none of these things. He felt stunned—annihilated, as it were. For a while he conld scarce believe in his own es istence—could it be that Bertie Lcracortc on whom the whole world smiled but one abort twelve-months ago? Was he the same gallant young officer, the pride of his mess, the fa-orito alike of officers and crew? Was he that Bertia Leracorte, or had some hideous m touipsychosi' taken place, and had his soul ft-l elsewhere

We.’.kins dreamily away from the Com! hon-, Impast'd hi-j hand wearily across In; brow, and sighed- oh, so sally 1- -an (host thoughts occurred to him. Ho was recalled (•> life by a voice at his elbow.

I say, mister, I guess 1 know what I'd do if I was you ! " it said. He turned, and beheld a mite of a hoy ragged, unkempt and dirty- but with a hot of droll intelligence and sympathy on hipinched face,which went straight to the hear! of the listener.

“ W hat did you say. my hoy? 1 did not hear you distinctly- I was dreaming. Ho you know who I am ? "

■ Raythur,” said the boy, with a market Ante?dean twang. *• You're the feller ns was took fur the robbery of the ‘Bride of Du: Ocean.'”

“ Were you in court ? Hid you hear the trial .’ Bertie was so utterly friendless, that In: found nothing incongruous in this colloony with a ragged urchin. ••’Course I was," was the prompt reply, '•liik-s 1 wasn't goin' ter miss the fun. Know the ship an’ the skipper 100 well, I do ; giK ■ we come in her from XV Voek. Oh, he's a duck, he is I”

B'-rtie began to feel interested. “ Come with me. boy.'' he said; “Well have some dinner together.''

"'A hat? You an' me feed tergither? Ho, hj "’. That is a pood ’un 1” Why not, my boy ?” asked Bertie, kindly. “ Many weeks have passed since I took a meal m ii. hj respectable company.” " All right, sonny, I’m on,” said the youth, "iih a grin. “ Guess I want a square meal right bad, I kin tell yet 1” (■or hero a difficulty arose : Where were they n go? Bertie put the question to the eollii. ’’ (a » go ter Canvis Town," he said. llur s mighty lino rcstorongs thur. Lor' l''<. -. yer, 1 alius gets my meals thur when I d-'»-“it'em.'

H' rtie, interested into momentary forget foin' -. of hi; troubles, vvalkcd by the side of the boy right through Melbourne to the ini men e admiration of the numerous “ gutter - snipes.” who, even in those early day.;, abounded in the city. They chatted pleasantly about many things, and Ikrtio was infinitely amused at the quaint humour and intelligence of his companion. At last he asked what the boy meant by the remark which had begun their acquaintance.

’■ I “ 'I I know'd what I'd do, ef I was you, was the reply.

“ And what would you do ?” " I'd track them tarmints ez took (he gold till 1 bust; and, whfn I come acrost ’em, I'd shoot 'em down likf dogs !” The little Imp sad this with as fierce an aii a.- if he had bee® himself a full-grown pi nit-'. But Bertie saw nothing to laugh at. “ By H* wen, he said. I’ve half a mind to follow your id' iet," Ho ' And take me with yer,' exclaimed '1- boy. eagerlv. ; Take you with me ? Why, what should 1 -’o with you, my boy ?” “ Guess I m the most uscfullast chap you o -r come acrost," was the reply. “You wouldn't find me ho burden on yer, I kin tell yer. An' how n ’ybU thinlrydu’r'e a-going to get nigh Item chap’s ? All oiT ’dm knows you, an’ ’ujl fchger off ‘mighty ' tj’uick, once they .seen you in their tracks. But I’m

smother sorter goods, lam. I kin lay low, ’an orawl in among ’em, and wriggle along like a cel, an’ git my nose inter company, where your hide would fly mighty quick.”

There was much truth in this, and Bertie full that the task would b« hard tor him to accomplish single-handed. The boy continued

"Sec here -your cariktcr is gone ain’t worth a cent! now your biz is ter git it back. Vow don't lie down,'an' cave in, an’ let pipple walk ever yev--no, sirree! You sez: I’U fetch them skunks, or I’ll die for it, an’ Seth Parkins is the gentleman ter help me!” “ Seth Parkins? Who is that gentleman, vomigster?” asked Bertie, much amused at ilie energy of his little companion. ■Who is Seth Parkins? Wa-al, mister, Set'n Varlams has now the honour to address verAs ho said this, (ho urchin drew himself up to his full height of four foot six, and made a magnificent bow, flourishing his ragged hat. as if it had been the sombrero of a Spanish hidalgo.

For the life of him, Bertie Leracorte could not help laughing; but, fearing to wound the feelings of hia little friend, he hastened to say that he. would consider over the matter, and give his decision after they had had dinner. "All serene,” replied Mr. Seth Parkins, with the utmost gravity. "An’ here we air! Now, walk in. gentlemen and ladies; yon pays yev money, an’ yon takes yer ehicc !” Tho " restorong,” as Seth termed it, was a huge canvas tent, the whole front of which was covered by advertisements of the good things to be found inside. From which advertisements it might be gathered that ei cry known comestible, from turtle soup and canvas-back duck to black pudding and stewed tripe, could be, obtained at tho uniform rata of one shilling per plate. Tho tent was filled by a motley crew of men and women, seated at two long tables, of simple construction—being, in point of fact, merely deal boards laid upon trestles. The noise was appalling. Everybody was rilher talking, eating, yelling, or laughing, whilst the mingled odours of the viand* would have proved altogether too much for the appetite of a gentleman who had been accustomed to anything more rc-herchr, than the hominy which forms the staple article of diet in Her Majesty's gaols.

For a moment Bertie recoiled ; but lie remembered it would be impossible to introduce his young friend into an eating-house of superior pretensions, and he was hungry. He, therefore, gauged boldly in, and took his seat, with Seth "nv his side.

“ Biled beef air greens!'’ cried out that youth, ore he was fairly in his place. “ Slewed (ripe an' injuns is mighty good gatin'." he continued, in nu aside to bis companion, “ but it don’t pay, nohow.” “ Don't pay?” asked the amused Bertie, after giving his order to the waiter. “ Why doesn't it pay ’■ Digests too quickly,” «as the reply. ■' bay you bloats yersclf out with tripe. One hour afterwards ycr ex hungry ex if yer hadn't had nothin’ at all. Now biled beef's different- -takes five hours to digest him, sir. Oil. I knows my way around, you bet!"

was the reply. You sez to the boss: • 1 calkilate I’ll come acrost some o’ them chaps one day or other, an’ when I does, I’ll list you know.’ Savvy ?—The move ain’t a bad’un ? ” Bertie thought it so good that he lost no time in complying with the suggestion, and, ere half an hour had elapsed, he found himself face to face with that terror of evil-doers, the chief of the detectives.

That gentleman (whom wo will, for the nouijc, call Inspector Jones) experienced no slight surprise at tho sight of the man whom he regarded as the hero of the groat gold robbery. “ Well, sir, what do you want with me ?” he asked, in a far from conciliatory tone. Bertie explained the nature of his business, and was pleased to see that ho had excited the interest of the Inspector. “ Tell me,” said the latter, “ is it true that you were once in tho navy ?” “ Twelve months ago I was sub lieutenant, doing duty as lieutenant, on board the Ajax.” “And wlml made yon leave?”

“ Under other circumstances I should have refused to answer that question -now that I urn compelled to lake every means to clear my character, f will not hesitate. I left Ibc navy because wo were ordered home to England, and I was foolish enough to fall in love with an American lady. She proved ns fickle ns most of her sex, and so, in a hit of a (topper, and not, caring to face my father. J came to Australia. I tried my luck at the diggings, and was unsuccessful. Then I came down to Melbourne, intending to seize the first opportunity to secure a passage home. I met Captain Shorter, and—but you know tho rest.”

The Inspector, much to his own surprise, really began to believe in the possibility of the young man’s innocence. But he felt ashamed to confess hia weakness, and continued his questioning. “ Did you know any of the men you shipped ?”

“ Nut one -I met two ot them on the pier, and they introduced mo to the rest, in publichouso in Lomdlaic-street.” “ Would you know any of them again ?’’ “Yes. Inin certain 1 eh on Id recognise the two 1 spoke ot, and also another, who, as a landsman, particularly attracted my attention. He also made himself remarkable by shipping under the name of Vanderdecken, which, as you arc probably aware, is supposed by sailors to be (hat of the captain of the famous ‘ Flying Dutchman.’ This man, I think, must have been tiic leader of the gang.”

Bertie laughed heartily, and then enquired whence the boy derived iris information.

“ What makes you think so ?" asked the Inspector, visibly interested.

“How else would ho have been associated with a body ot seamen ? 1 think ho originated the scheme, and then put himself in communication with some one or two sailors of disreputable character, who, in their turn, secured the assistance of others.”

“ Young doctor chap, down on his luck, tole me one day wo was here. I was a-goin’ fur tripe, and ] )(! sex, * Don’t make no error - trißp’s good fur them ex gits thur meals reg’lar, but corn’ beef's the tack fur chaps like us,’ He was a reel smart feller, that doctor, and lerued me lots o’ things." If the company was not select, the viands were good of their kind, ami tolerably wellcooked, so that Bertie, with alibis aristocratic prejudice, succeeded, alter all, in malting, what Seth termed, ”a square meal;" whilst the performances of that young gentleman himself were a wonder to behold. He, managed two plates of beef, an immense slice, or rather slab, of plum-pudding, and wound up by eating about half a pound of cheese, with bread ad lihitum. He also drank a pint of frothing porter, and would have called for move, had not Bertie interposed. When they left the tent, Bertie looked around anta.iod : the place seemed chanced—he himself was no longer the same individual! He had forgotten all about (he Bertie I eracortewho had stood in the dock that morning, and was once more himself a brave young gentleman, who felt, the life-blood coursing through his veins like liquid Hit, and longed only for action. Conquer in the fight he would, or, ns the boy had said, die ! Such is the blessed influence of meat and drink on the hungry and thirsty!

“By heavens, it is more than probable !” exclaimed the Inspector, touching a bell as ho spoke. In reply to the summons, (here entered one of the clerks, of whom the Inspector asked whether anything was known of a man named Vanderdecken.

The clerk left to make the necessary enquiries, and, after a short interval, returned with the answer that the name was wholly unknown in the office.

"I am noi surprised at that,' 1 said Bertie,

“ Don't you sec, sir. that the name must have been assumed, ami would only be taken by an individual who was about to go to sea. Now this man was a landsman, and, very probably, never in his life served in any capacity afloat.'’ “Yes, yes; you are right! Well, now, tell me - what Jo you want me to do V” “I want you to make it known amoqgst your men, that I am engaged in searching lor these rascals, in order that they may not neutralise my effort?, bv too closely watching me. Aud I should further like you to instruct tig mi to assist mo when called upon, either by -applying me with information, or by helping me in person."

" ft shall be done. Mr. Leracorlp.'’ mid Die Inspector, ” and f do not mind feljiiig you, that I shall be the more heartily glad to hear of your success, because f am beginning to believe that you have been the victim of circumstance,:, and have suffered unjustly.”

Oh, sir,” said Bertie, with tears starling to bis eyes, “ I (hank von ! If yon knew wbut I have suffered! But I did not come here to snivel. One more favour -1 met a boy this morning named Seth Parkins. He says be came from America in the Pride of the Ocean, and he has begged me to lake him with me. He is smart, and intelligent -it was he, indeed, who first suggested the search to me, and advised mo to sec you. Now I want to know whether there is anything against that boy?— You will wonder at the question, but I have suffered so much of late, that I cannot help feeling suspicious of every one.” “Very natural indeed,” replied the Inspector, again touching the bell. .The answer to this query proved eminently satisfactory—the boy aw known to the police, but only very favourably, as one who habitually shunned tho society of bad characters, ami strove to gain a living honestly. After a few more words, the Inspector offered his hand to Bertie, remarking, as he did so, that he had not thought it possible he could have changed his opinion of him so thoroughly, without a tittle of evidence to warrant it.

CHAPTER XVI. AT TTH, IiKTBCTIVU OITKT. As Ihey left the eating-house; “ Tell me about yourself, Belli.'' said Bertie. “ Ain't iniiUn nuch to tel), I was t ii-id In XV York. Mother died, mabbe, (v\o .years ago, and father marries agin—marries a gal wot was a beer-jerker, in a lager beer saloon. Couldn't suffer that now, could 1?” “ Of course not," replied Bertie, with as much gravity as he could command. “Warn’t likely, nohow, an’ I up an’ hue fnilier eo. He goes fur me with a bean-pole that was lyiri’ around handy, and I scooted, ivem down to the wharves, an’ sees a big ship, which I goes aboard, an’ axes of the captin docs he want a cabin-boy. or a loblolly hoy, or anythin’ in my way. Seems I was in luck, fur he did, au’ so I shipped aboard the I’ridc it the Ocean, an’ here vve air!’’ “ You were not aboard on the night of the robbery “ Course nol. The other men all hooks il soon’s they gils a show, an’ i hooks it too. Likely I was a-goin' to stop with nary soul but the nigger cook, an’ that rantin’, ragin’ devil, ole Shorter.’’

“ But I like your face, my lad,” he added, ” and I like your style. You ran walk out of this office with the perfect certainty that here, at least, von will not be misunderstood." So they parted, and Bertie left the dreaded Detective Office with a lighter heart than be had owned for many a day. Jlo found Seth who had waited for him outside, intensely eager to hear the result of the interview, which be related in as few words as possible. “ Jeerusalein!” shouted the boy, as he flung his cap into tho air, and began a species of Indian war-dance on the pavement " that Inspector is the bully boyl Sed be blceved you was iunercent, did he ? Gosh 1 Thet’s the sorter chap I like I” Bertie succeeded with difficulty in reducing the boy’s transports within reasonable limits, and they then proceeded to take counsel as to Iheir mode of proceeding.

“ And what have you done since you came a,-hore'?”

“ Thel'a nigh on to six months ago now, an' 1 ain't done very well. Times I’d pickup a shillin’ or two, hut mostly it was hard work to git along. How you bin doin'senco vnu kem here ?"

“ Not much heller than you, my lad. But B\e gofca little money now, and, as long as it lasts, ■■mu shall not want a meal." %t«»t be remembered that Bertie Leva cortMid received one hundred pounds capitation tawey for shipping the men who had stolen the %pld. The capigin had made a vigorous efiort lo obtain an order fur its return, but had been unsuccessful; though of this, Bertie knew nothing until later, lie had, for a moment, thought of returning the money; but he had certainly fairly earned it, and the harsh treatment he ‘had met with left him in no humor to bo generous to his persecutors.

Beth literally danced with delight at the prospect before him. “You will take me with yer to nose out them varmint ” he asked.

“ I will. I shell need assistance, and lam certain you will be true to me."

“ You bet I will! I'd jest ez soon go back on my own mother, cz go back on you ! - Now, sec here —you come along o' me." “ Where to ? ” " To the detective ofiis." “ Good heavens, boy, what should I do there? " “G° flow, an’ I’ll tell yer. You goes thur, an’ you axes fur the boss. ' Mister,’ sez you, ‘Tm a-come hyur to hev a bit of a palaver along o’ you consumin' that air gold robb’ry. You think I’m in it,’ sez you, ‘an’ I thinks diff’runt—but thet don’t make no odds, nohow. I’m a-goin’ arter them fellers ez did it, an’ I’m a-goin’ ter take this gentleman with me—-moanin' me, you know.” “But Why should I tell them anything about it?” asked Bertie, who had already learned to respect the shrewd wit of his little friend, “ Cos you wants them to leaVe you alone,”

CHAPTER XVII.

o],l) FRtBNPS. Bek nr. and Seth were walking along, busily engaged in talking over the various schemes which suggested themselves, when they woe startled by a loud “ Hallo ! Stop a moment, if you please I' 1 Bertie looked up, and found himself confronted by a stately old gentleman, who, as he raised his eyes, exclaimed, “Bertie Levacortc, or I’m a Dutchman !’’ “Sir Charles North !’’

“ Ay—Sir Charles North. Uh, you young scapegrace! You ne'er-do-well! Yon mi mitigated reprobate!” As he said this, the old gentleman shook his Malacca cane in so threatening a manner, that Seth imagined his friend was in for a beating, and interposed accordingly ; whilst Bertie stood, silent and confused, and blushing as furiously as any miss in her teens. “ Hold on, sir!” exclaimed Seth, pushing his small person between them. “ Don’t you go fur to think yon kin do ea you please hyur. Just you lay a finger on this gentleman, an’ we’ll hev’ yer up fur assault and battery, Surd tea shoutin' 1” Sir Charles stared, and then burst out lauding. “ Who is your gallant defender ?” &Sk6u< For a mb'nftot Jfertie hesitated to aoknoV-

PUBLISHED BT W. C. NATION. GEEYTOWN.

ledge the tic which had arisen between then' —hut only for a moment. Ho replied : “That boy is tho only friend I have in Australia, Sir Charles !”

" Hum—ha, very good,” said Sir (.’baric.-;, as a sense of the, position dawned upon him “Only friend yon have in Australia, is he? Here, boy, walk behind us to my hold. Come along, sir,” ho added, linking hia arm in that of Bertie. “You are my prisoner, now, and I wish I may lie whipped if 1 let you escape me I” When (hey arrived at Sir Charles’ quarters ns hn termed them, he instructed his man to take Seth to a ready-made, clothing establishment, and rig him out decently; then to give him a hot bath, and get his hair cut. Seth listened to these instructions with month and eves alike wide open, but at a sign from Bertie ho followed willingly cnongii, muttering to himself that it seemed they had “ struck a patch” at last. When they were alone, Fir Charles motioned Bertie to a chair, lit a cigar, and proceeded to interrogate him. “ Sir,”said he, “I have been commissioned by your father to look yon up, and, if I find you worthy, send you home to him. I*ve found you, and now lam going to find out all about you. Be. pleased to answer my questions in as few words as possible. ’ Bertie foil in with the humour of his companion, and readily promised compliance.

“ Why did you leave the navy ?” began Sit Charles.

" Fell in love with an American girl, sir.” “ Did you marry her?” “ No ; she wouldn't have rue." “ Then you came ont here. What did you do that for?” “ Wanted to try my luck at the diggings.” “ You tried, and failed, of course.” “ Yes.” “ What have you been doing since ?” " Shipped as mate of a ship bound for England. Night before we were to sail the crew broke into our cabins, bound ns, and robbed the ship of i'loo,ooo worth of gold. They escaped; 1 was arrested ; locked up for two months; tried this morning, and acquitted.” " God bless ray soul!” exclaimed Sir Charles, flinging his cigar into the fire-place. "Mv poor lad 1 How you must have suffered 1

“ Yes, Sir Charles," said Bertie, still adhering to the rule of brevity laid down for him.

" Why, you eold-bloodcd young ruffian.you l.:uT seem to mind it a bit 1”

“ (rot over it two hours ago, Sir Charles.'’ “ May 1 be permitted to ask how you managed it, sir .’ I should have thought such an ordeal would not be forgotten in a hurry. But there’s no accounting for tastes—perhaps you liked being in gaol T’

“ Not in the least, sir.” “ Then how did you manage to gel over it so soon?” said Sir Charles, with extreme irritability. “ Speak out, sir 1”

“ Got over it by the means of beef and beer, Sir Charles, and the sympathy ot a true friend.”

“ Meaning that boy ?” “ Meaning that boy, Sir Charles.” Sir Charles rang the,bell, and ordered some sherry. After ho MS drunk a couple of glasses, and Bertie doing the same, he began in a’ratally different tone, and requested the young man to give a full. I rue, aud particular account of the whole affair. This Bertie did, and added the narration of his interview with the chief of the detectives.

“ Well,” said Sir Charles, when he had eoneluded, “ this matter must be seen into at once. I will take care that your character is cleared, and meanwhile you stay here with me.”

“But, you forget, sir," said Bertie," that I am the only man who eun identify any of the ruffians who stole the gold. I must find them myself, for (he police have no clue, and have tried in vain.”

“ Bo ho it— you shall seek for them, and we shall go with you. We, also, arc on the lookout for a scoundrel, aud shall have to search amongst the same class of men as you.” “ You said we, sir —have you a companion V”

Freeman at once instructed him to watch the Professor, hut it was then too late—be had disappeared." I have an idea,” said Bertie, after some irreb unit conversation.

“Glad to hear it ■ wish I had, " exclaiim d Hai'i, who took a very gloomy view of the situation.

“ It is evident that Mr. (Stephen Tredegar would expect to receive letters from England, and. at least, Miss Alma would.” " Certainly," replied fiir Chnrlcs ; "but I do not sec the drift of your remark.” ’■ Xor I,” added Dari, gloomily. “ Tl.<> first thing to do, is" In find mil whether they arc still in Melbourne -is it not V”

"Of course. That would simplify matter* at once.”

"Well, sir, that can he done-iri ten minutes.” ** “But how:" exclaimed Sir Charles, impatielly.

"Mr. Part Tredegar wrote to his sister some weeks ago, and addressed (hat letter to the General Post-Office. Now, if tho letter is still there, the chances are a thousand to one that the Professor and his niece left town W"cks ago -prior to the date of that Idler, at any rate.”

“By .love, yes! ” said Sir Charles. “ But 1 scarcely think the Post-Office authorities will tell us.”

“Why apply to them at all?" asked Bertie. “ How else, in the name of all that is wonderful, are wc to find eut? ”

" Let Mr. Dart go to the. delivery window and ark it there are any letters for his sister, Miss Alma Tredegar. They may refuse to deliver the letter, or letters, to him, but they will, at least, inform him whether there are any.”

“ Fm off at once!” exclaimed Dart, jumping up, and seizing his hat. “ Thank you, old fellow, a thousand times 1"

“ Stop a minute," said Kir Charles. “It might be that the Professor, seeing our arrival in the papers, would take care to prevent Alraa from going to the Post Office. No; the fact of the letter not being there would prove nothing.” Dart flung hia hat on the table, with an air of vexation, but Bertie smiled tranquilly. 11 Sir Charles," he said, “ your conclusion is quite just; but what is to prevent Mr. Part Tredegar from inquiring, at the same time, whether there arc any letters for his uncle, Mr. Stephen Tredegar ?" 0 {Tr hr il . j

“Yes-he is in the next room.” Then, opening the door, he called out “ Dart, come here !” and there entered a young man who has already made the acquaintance of tin; reader, and needs, therefore, no description. Sir Charles, having introduced the young men to op eh other, proceeded to explain to Bertie the cause of his presence in Australia. Passing over that portion of the narrative which is already known to the reader, we take up the tale at the time when Professor Tredegar and his niece, Alma, sailed for Australia. The precautions taken by that gentleman to cover his trail had been entirely successful for over six months, when the arrival of a letter from Alma to her brother, Dart, explained the mystery. In the meantime, an agent laid been despatched by Mr. Freeman in search of the missing witness, Thomas Sumner. This man—au es-detectivc, named Burrows—reported, very shortly after the arrival of tho letter from Alma, that he had not been able to obtain the slightest clue to the whereabouts of the object of his search. He had traced Sumner to Melbourne, and that was alt/ It became, therefore, evident that the man. for some reason unknown, had Cringed his name, and removed to parts unknown. Burrows asked for further instructions.

Mr. Freeman thought the situation very grave. The disappearance of Sumner was almost co-incident with the arrival in Melbourne of Professor Tredegar, ami he naturally assumed that there was some connection between the two events. Under the circumstances, he advised that Dart should go out to visit bis sister, and set his wits to work to discover whether the Professor had succeeded in winning over Sumner to his side. Aided by Burrows. Mr. Freeman thought Dart might, perhaps, be a match even for that consummate schemer, Professor Stephen Tredegar. At any rate, no better method of procedure suggested itself, and so it was arranged. At tho last moment, Sir Charles North—who, by this time, had learned to love Dart as if he had been his own son —determined to accompany him to Australia. Mr. Freeman opposed this resolution with all the arguments at bis command; laying especial stress upon the desirability of making it appear to tho Professor that Dart’s visit to Melbourne was solely on Alma’s account. To this, Fir Charles North objected that .Stephen Tredegar was far too astute a personage to believe in any such humbug, and added that, whereas Dart might find it impossible to obtain the assislaceof the local authorities, he, Sir Charles North, would, from his position, be able to command their aid at once.

They had arrived in Melbourne some few weeks previously; but, to their intense annoyance, had not been able, to obtain any information with reference to the ITotessor. Alma had given no address in her letter, but asked that an answer might be directed to the General Post-OBicc, and, on their arrival, Dart had written to her at once, but had, hitherto, received no reply. It must he remembered, that in those days, Melbourne was like a huge caravanserai, in which arrivals and departures, by the hundred, were of daily occurrence. To trace any person, not specially known to the police, or to some of the regular residents, was almost an impossibility, and Sir Charles was beginning to despair of'success, when he met Bertie Leraeorte. Bertie asked why Burrows, the private detective, had not informed himself of the Professor’s whereabouts, prior to their arrival. “Ho received his instructions before we knew that the professor had left Germany,” implied Sit Charles. “You will remember that I told you We did not discover that fact tor wore than sis mouths. Of course, Mr.