Part 12 (1/2)

Beyond it the land was level for a distance, but between the trees they could see where it was densely wooded, as though a creek flowed in the vicinity

”There's broken country ahead, if I'm not mistaken,” Peters said ”It'll be as well to push on beyond the scrub, or up to it, before we camp”

Palmer Billy looked round at Peters

”There's a creek through the scrub, or I ain't no singer,” he reh the scrub, there's gold in the creek, and it's good enough to have a look at it before going on”

”There's no gold in it,” Gleeson exclaimed

”You say you've been there?” Peters asked

”No, I don't; but I say there's no gold in it No old in the country Let the others find it out for theood, and we're all a feller,” Palround and faced Gleeson ”Let's have a plain talk about this

What's _your_ gaan, when Gleeson interrupted him

”You want the yarn, and I'll tell you,” he said

”What's the good of waiting here?” Tony exclaimed ”It's nearly time for dinner, and you can yarn then Let's push on to the creek, if there is one, and have a feed and yarn then”

”Young feller,towards Tony, ”you've the head of a jayneus In course Who wants to yarn with a full tucker-bag outside and none under the waistbelt? Shove along”

He swung his swag on to his shoulder again and resu, Gleeson silent and morose

The view of Pal over a sandy bed, flowed through the scrub; and while a fire was being lit to boil the billy, Peters went a short distance along the banks of the creek When he came back he looked at Gleeson

”You say you've been here?” he asked

”No,” Gleeson answered ”I say there's no gold in this creek or the other It was all bluff--only the ga”

”Don't be too sure,” Peters said ”We had no chance of prospecting the other creek, with the er this is no bluff There's gold in that creek; not in tons, es, for more than a week or two”

”You don't say!” exclai up beside the fire over which he had been stooping, as he watched for the water in the billy to co,” Gleeson retorted ”I tell you the whole thing was bluff

The hole we dug was salted, and the creek was to be salted for a bit; and then, when the rush set in, the neas to have been published and our claiain, just as the big find was made, the find that was planted in the hole Only Walker's turned wrong, and Tap, the chap we left to do the salting, has cleared with the gold; and if you hadn't stood by et out of the way of the mob as best you could Only you stood by me and Walker shi+ed, so he can face the old in this creek There may be a bit in the other; Tap h to trust with hiet here?”

The three stood looking at him, Palmer Billy open-mouthed and open-eyed

”And you calls yourself a miner?” he said, with scornful e expert--that's ; and I'm after money, if you want to know”

The outspoken frankness of the onis in the minds of the other three

Tony, with the ineers of wild-cat schemes, winced at the discovery that his leader was only a speci? You're after the same lay yourselves,”