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Chapter V. A Double Ambush.

Let us follow the footsteps of the Senior Partner.

The course taken by the Prospectors skirted the base of Mount Pisa, traversing the bare, shelterless plains of the Upper Clutha, as the country about the junction of the Kawarau is termed—a country unpleasantly devoid of timber, both on the plains and on the ranges. Yet for many miles the Senior Partner followed, unobserved; sheltering sometimes in shallow creeks and sunken hollows, sometimes behind swelling rises, or the jutting points of mountain spurs. About noon the Prospectors halted at the mouth of a deep gully, where a pellucid brooklet chattered (to use a Tennysonian phrase) over the grey sands, as it sparkled merrily in the cheerful sunlight. Concealed behind some friendly clusters of the beautiful Toi-toi grass, the Senior Partner looked on. Apparently they were about to prepare for dinner, for they lighted a fire, and "slung the billy."—(Anglicé: a tin vessel used for preparing tea—the indispensable concomitant of all repasts, and chief luxury of the dwellers in bush land.)

Suddenly they quenched the fire, scattered the page 145brands, and hurriedly retreated up the gully out of sight.

"Guess there's a screw loose somewhere," muttered the Senior Partner. "Wonder what on earth gave 'em that scare!"

The cause was soon apparent. A crowd of men were coming up the plain. It was Barney Roche's mob. The hoof-prints of the pack-horse indented in the soft mud of the river bank, had afforded a clue to the Prospectors' track; and they were now in eager pursuit.

Further concealment was impossible. The Senior Partner recognised the fact, and his course was decided. He moved boldly out into the open ground, full in sight of the pursuers. He heard the shout which greeted his appearance, but he heeded it not. With long deliberate strides he went on past the gully, on past terrace and creek, till having rounded a broad spur which hid him from view, he climbed the slope with cat-like activity, and, gaining the summit, threw himself down on the ground.

He waited some time expecting the men to pass by. But he waited in vain. Amongst the party were old bushmen, to whose experienced eyes it was evident that the Prospectors had not crossed the creek. For there were no prints of horses' feet on the other side; whilst the still smoking fire-brands revealed the recent presence of the hunted miners. Accordingly, the pursuers halted, and proceeded to explore the gully.

Somewhat astonished at their non-appearance, the Senior Partner ventured across the spur, cautiously moving from rock to rock. When he obtained a view of the gully, no sign or sound of human life was per-page 146ceptible. The pursued and the pursuers had alike vanished from sight in the tortuous recesses of the ravines.

"Well, I'm darned," soliloquised Mr. George W. Pratt, "if this ain't the smartest game played by full-blown men. Poker ain't a circumstance to it. It's jest Moses in the bulrushes, with the Egyptians busting theirselves, trying to excavate the infant prodigy. Reckon I'll locate myself on this here spur for a spell, like a lonely sparrow on the house-top. They can't get over that big hunk of stones without leaving tracks, on account of the snow; and if the diggings are hereabouts, they're jest fixed like beavers in a trap."

An hour or more passed away, and still the American remained at his post of observation. Then he heard voices as of many men, seemingly coming down the gully. At the same instant a moving speck on the summit of a far-off rock attracted his attention. Levelling his field-glass, he saw that it was a man. Evidently there was another watcher in the field. His ready instinct told him that this was one of the Prospectors.

Here let me assume the author's privilege, and narrate what occurred, as it afterwards became known to me.

The Prospectors—alarmed at the approach of Barney and his party—forced their way far up a small branch of the main gully, to a spot where dense scrub afforded a secure covert for horse and man, whilst the rocky bed of the creek left no tell-tale traces of the direction which they had taken. Here they remained until their pursuers gave up the search, and returned to the nplai. page 147As the sounds of pursuit died away, the Englishman clambered up to an overhanging rock, whence he could mark their farther proceedings, and he thereby revealed his presence to the Senior Partner.

But Barney's party were not easily baffled. Notwithstanding their fruitless search, they still felt convinced that the Prospectors were in the vicinity. Accordingly, they proceeded to invest the enemy's stronghold. In other words, they encamped at the foot of the gully, determined, as Barney said, "to see it out."

So here were a score of men watching two, two watching twenty, and one man watching all. Said the Senior Partner to himself, "This here game is getting rather mixed."

It soon became evident to the Prospectors that all exit from the gully was cut off. Hour succeeded hour, and all the parties to this triangular contest of bush strategy remained quiescent, waiting each for the other to make the first move. Towards sundown the Senior Partner observed the figure on the rock descend there-from into the gully.

"Guess they're going to lead a fresh suit now," said Mr. George W. Pratt. "Don't suppose they'll ante up to these galoots, so I'll jest take another hand myself."

Carefully keeping out of sight fom below, he climbed still further up the mountain towards the Prospectors. They, meanwhile, unloaded the horse and concealed his burden of flour, tea, sugar, and other similar comestibles in a convenient recess of the impending rocks. Then they turned the animal adrift, and struck across page 148the spurs which intervened between the gullies and the open plain.

Their course led them within a very brief distance of the spot where the Senior Partner lay perdue. But they saw him not. Hundreds of men, indeed, might have lain concealed behind the massive boulders which cumbered the mountain side.

He allowed them to descend into the plain. Then he followed—always at a distance. As they rounded a point, the American moved up to it, and there remained until they had again passed out of sight, when the same process was repeated. And thus they went on exultant, with the Senior Partner ever on the track, yet never in sight.

Ere long they came to a shallow river: I may as well say at once that I refer to the Cardrona. Crossing this stream, the Prospectors still held on their course till the grey shades of evening superseded the glories of sunlight. Then they halted.

They halted at a shepherd's hut—a dreary edifice—windowless, with walls of mud, standing beneath the shadow of a gloomy terrace, in a chill valley, over which the faint light of the segmentary moon cast a dim radiance. As they approached this outpost of civilization, several collie-dogs—open-mouthed and loud-voiced—ran forth to meet the strangers.

[I have sometimes thought how glorious a thing it would be if the political watch-dogs of the human flock were as faithful guardians of the trust reposed in them, as are the canine conservators of wethers, ewes, and hoggetts. Nevertheless, even the best of dogs cannot always prevent the sheep being shorn.]

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The inmates of the hut came out. A brief parley ensued, then the Prospectors entered. The door was closed—the dogs, their duty discharged, retreated to their several lairs, and silence reigned supreme—save where the stream murmured a faint lullaby in its rocky bed.