a full week was occupied in settling up affairs and making final preparations for the journey across the wilderness. the question of transport was speedily arranged. three camels were necessary to carry stores and sundry mining appliances, and a fourth would be advisable to bear the heavy water-bags of the expedition, as it was not wise policy to burden the animals unduly. mackay's wiry "misery" was selected at once as the leader of the team, and two other great leathery hided creatures belonging to emu bill and never never dave, named respectively "repentance" and "remorse," were called into requisition as being well fitted for the stern work before them. a strong young beast was secured by mackay from an afghan trader who called around opportunely, to make up the quartet. this last addition to the outfit, which jack promptly dubbed "fireworks," was inclined to be rather vicious in temperament, and after seeing him buck two pack saddles off as a preliminary, mackay mentally resolved to trust the carriage of the precious water-bags to the more patient "remorse," and allow "fireworks" to cool down under more solid freight.
the stores of the expedition were not difficult to obtain; by this time agencies of the large mercantile[pg 193] houses in kalgoorlie had been established on the flat, and they were well able to provide all necessary supplies. but the commissariat department of the australian explorer is never famed for his lavishness; in it luxuries find no part, for here the ship of the desert is the mainstay of the traveller, and on its cumbrous back only room can be found for the bare essentials of life. flour and tea, tinned beef and various "extracts," these are the sum total of the wanderer's requirements in the australian wilderness, and with these he would usually be more than content if water could be found to quench his thirst. but this is too often denied, the arid wastes of the great austral land contain few oases. the scanty rains collected in reluctant drops in some deep rock hole, perhaps for years, are his only hope. yet these grim forbidding tracts allure the roving spirit if only because of their very grimness. across their scintillating sands what wonderful haven may be hid? surely it is not all desert, something must lie beyond the far horizon. nature's compensating law must hold some reward for the weary pioneer who gropes so desperately onward and ever onward into the rising sun. such is the hope, the belief, of those who venture forth into the never never. with mackay, who had already followed the beckoning phantom far back into an unknown mountain, the belief had become almost reality. the spirit of the bush enthralled him, its spell was ever over him. his young companions too were influenced by the air of mystery surrounding their distant goal. the unknown has ever exercised a powerful fascination over the anglo-saxon youth, and the two boys revelled in the thought of penetrating untrodden tracts, and rejoiced in their quest of el dorado.
[pg 194]
when all was ready for a start mackay called them together for earnest consultation.
"i don't want to shout much about the dangers o' the trail, my lads," said he. "but it is as well to understand that the risks are there a' the same, an' it would only be richt for you both to mak' a sort o' statement, an' leave it wi' the warden. i—i——"
"i know what you mean," said bob, smiling; "you want us to make our wills—in case of accident."
mackay looked relieved. "it would be better," he admitted quietly, "or send your money home. don't think i want to force my advice on you, but i think—i think that would be the better plan."
"i've done that ever since we started to get returns from the battery," answered bob. "i only have kept what i thought i would owe you for my share of the expedition."
"mine has been sent home too," murmured jack, diffidently; "but i've kept two hundred pounds for the expedition."
"an' mine has gone home too," added mackay, slowly. "but the expedition is my consideration, and i must bear the expense alone. it's a duty, my dear young lads, it's a duty."
no amount of persuasion would shake his decision in this respect.
"it's a journey that's lain on my conscience for some time," he argued. "i have a mission to fulfil which i hope may be outside the other object o' the expedition altogether, though it's possible we may achieve the one while in pursuit o' the other." he chuckled dryly at the thought, then well pleased that his[pg 195] young friends had disposed of their worldly goods to his liking, he went off to give some instructions to emu bill about the loading of the camels.
the process had been left in charge of nuggety dick, who had received full information from bob concerning its proper working. it had been open for public inspection all the week, and already many similar vats were being erected on the field; and wynberg's discovery lay idle—its owner had vanished back whence he came.
the unfortunately placed rockson, however, was soon given a position more to his liking than the control of a useless stamping mill. jackson, whose time was required in kalgoorlie, at mackay's request, offered him the management of his mine, which was now turning out large quantities of the refractory ore, and this he gladly accepted under the generous arrangement of a fair salary and a considerable interest in the profits. it was mackay's strange weakness that he could not allow another man undeservedly to suffer, even indirectly, through any action of his or his partners, and hence the exceptional terms offered by jackson for his services; he had only been too willing to oblige mackay in the matter as a slight return for the great favour he had received.
bob and jack were amazed when, after the golden promise had closed down, they counted up the amount with which the bank at kalgoorlie had credited them for their share in the gold sent in. they found that they had each realized over a thousand pounds for their few months' labour; the last two weeks' results had swelled up their profits wonderfully, to bob's deep satisfaction.
"i'm very glad," he said to jack, "that mackay will benefit a little by the process; it means that we have[pg 196] made some slight return for his goodness to us, though money can never pay for all that he has done."
"he doesn't seem to value money as some people do," observed jack. "i don't understand him yet, i don't."
it was after this that mackay had ventured to express his views to them on private concerns, and when he went away he left the boys no little moved by his well-meant advice; the solemn note of warning in his tones, even when he touched so lightly on the dangers of the desert, had not escaped them.
"i do hope," said bob, fervently, "that he may never have to take the sextant from me. i—i get nervous when i think of the responsibility he has given me. i wish too," he continued gravely, "that i had some news from home before we start. i haven't heard a word since we left. of course they couldn't write until they knew where we were, but i think there is time for an answer to my first letter by now."
jack calculated it up hurriedly. "it would come in by to-night's mail," he said sadly, "and mackay said we were to start after lunch. i think we should tell him, and ask him to wait."
but this bob would not hear of for a moment. "certainly not," he cried. "he treats us as men, not children, and i am not going to worry him with home affairs. all the same," he reflected calmly, "if i had thought of it before i would have mentioned it to him; but now that everything is in readiness for the start—no, i cannot."
"all aboard, boys; all aboard for the never never!"
it was the shadow's voice, and they rushed out at once, turning to cast one look at the dismantled tent[pg 197] which had been their home during these eventful months. no tent or shelter of any kind was being carried by the expedition. the starry heavens must now be their sole roof at night.
they found the camel team waiting the signal to move ahead, and jack at once stepped to his position alongside misery, the shadow having for the time taken charge of fireworks, who was promising to give trouble.
mackay stood a little way off, and surveyed the team critically.
"tighten up fireworks' girth, emu," he cried. "he'll slip his saddle in a minute."
emu bill proceeded deftly to obey the instruction, annoyed with himself because of having overlooked the defect.
"i'll swear the cunning brute has shrunk hissel' on purpose," he growled. "i pulled him in as tight as a windlass barrel just a second ago. woah, fireworks, woah! ye cantankerous son o' a gun."
but fireworks was intent on creating a diversion. for some time he had been allowed to roam the desert at his own sweet will, and probably his memory of pack-saddles and such like encumbrances had faded into happy oblivion, but now that he felt the old galling weight on his back his vicious temper was aroused to fury, and he stood waving his weird-looking head about in savage sweeps, and ever and again essayed to roll over, pack-saddle and all. when emu bill approached him now, the recalcitrant animal suddenly began a series of frisky antics, pulling wildly at the nose rope which the shadow clutched firmly, and twisting its huge bulk into all sorts of contortions.
[pg 198]
"woah, hang ye!" shouted bill, again striving to get near.
in reply fireworks snorted defiance, then bent himself almost double; a sharp crack sounded out as the girths burst, and in a moment the sand was strewn with his load.
"so that was your little trick, was it? ye measly old quadrooped!" cried emu bill, in disgust. "well, i reckon you kin try it over again."
he gathered up the saddle for another effort, but mackay intervened.
"it won't do, bill," he said. "we'll just have the circus repeated. we'd better postpone the start until the morning, an' meanwhile we'll put fireworks through his paces. i didna think the beastie would be so obstreperous."
and, indeed, to look at the animal now, no one would have thought that such a fiery temper lurked in that cumbrous body. fireworks, after his unruly performance, stood gazing meekly at the wreckage he had created, the very picture of innocence. yet it was a wise policy to break him in to a more fitting tolerance with his burden before venturing into the great desert, where mishaps would cause more vexatious delays, and probably occasion damage which could not then be easily rectified.
thus it was that the whole team was unloaded, and the remainder of the day spent in coaxing the one refractory camel into a more tractable spirit, a result which emu bill and his companion bushman seemed to have thoroughly accomplished before sundown, and high hopes were entertained of making an early departure next morning.
[pg 199]
the mail arrived somewhat earlier than usual that night, a fact which did not surprise any one when they saw macguire sitting on the box-seat beside the driver. mackay sighed wearily when he observed his old enemy.
"i had hoped i had seen the last o' him," he said to bob; "but i suppose the misguided man is looking for trouble, as usual." to his astonishment, however, macguire purposely evaded him, and disappeared rapidly down the workings to where some of his old gang were still employed on none too lucrative holdings.
"perhaps he's got tired of running up against us," said bob. "i don't think the game has paid him too well, and he may be turning over the proverbial new leaf now."
"umph!" mackay's monosyllabic utterance was non-committal, but it was plain that his faith in that new leaf in the present instance was none of the strongest.
the mail brought a letter for each of the boys and one for mackay, and on glancing at the handwriting on his envelope bob was satisfied; the expected news from home had reached him, after all. hurriedly he tore it open, and read the closely written sheets which a fond mother had penned. he smiled brightly at the anxious opening phrases, which inquired so minutely about his health and general welfare. "i have heard," she wrote, "that fever often breaks out in a gold-mining camp—malaria or gold fever, i think—and i am sending you a small bottle of quinine, which i want you to promise to take regularly——" bob thought that rather good, and read the sentence aloud to mackay, who had mastered the contents of his epistle at a hasty glance. that gentleman was gravely amused. "she's richt about the gold fever," said he, with, a short laugh, "an' it's a terribly rampagin'[pg 200] disease in its way, though i dinna think quinine would affect it much. prussic acid or some such deadly poison would be the only cure, for once a man gets the gold fever it remains in his blood a' his life, ready to be stirred up to violent action at the sight o' a nugget. ay, it's a bad fever, bob, an' we've a' got it in some degree. however, your guid mother needna fear aboot the other plague—malaria—for neither it nor any other disease o' the kind can live in western australia. you must just write a note an' tell her that. the air o' this country is too dry an' clear for any microbe to fancy."
bob continued his silent perusal of the letter, and as he got towards the end a puzzled expression came into his features; it was clear that the letter from home contained something of more striking import than the warning against pernicious fevers. the intelligence which disturbed him was conveyed on the last two sheets, and this was how it ran:—
"i know you will be grieved to hear that your uncle dick is dead. since your father was drowned i have never had a line from him; he was the first to bring the sad news to me, and his own sorrow seemed greater than he could bear. your father and he had been inseparable companions in their youth, and many times before the sea king sailed on her last cruise i used to hear them planning out their great schemes for the future, for your uncle had ever been a wanderer, and was filled with strange ideas about the riches of some parts of the world he had visited. he went off to australia after arranging your poor father's affairs, and nothing was ever heard of him again. all along i fancied that it was his money which provided the little income left to us, for you[pg 201] father's savings could not have been much; sailors are so poorly paid. the solicitors always put me off when i inquired about it, but now i know that it was his great kindly heart which went out to the widow and the fatherless, and caused provision to be made for them out of his own scanty means. on the morning after you left i received a letter from a gentleman who had just returned from australia, and who had been with him when he died, enclosing a draft for two hundred pounds, and saying that that was the sum realized by the sale of your uncle's effects, and that he had been entrusted to send it to me. no other information was given, and no address was on the letter. when i showed it to my solicitors they told me the truth of what i had guessed from the first. my boy, you were always uncle dick's favourite, and you have every cause to remember him gratefully. if you can find out where he died, erect a little cross over his resting-place for me. i would so much like to have it done."
bob read and re-read the strange story which brought back the past so vividly to his mind, and his eyes grew moist in spite of himself.
"no bad news, i hope, lad," spoke mackay, kindly.
bob struggled with his emotion for a moment without success, then handed the pages to his interrogator in silence. mackay read them over carefully, with a face showing keen concern; indeed, he seemed even more moved than bob when he had finished. "ay, ay," he said huskily, "he was a good man, an' there's too few o' his sort in the world. but you'll dae what your mother bids you. you will put up that cross afore you leave australia. i'll—i'll help you to find the place." then[pg 202] he turned abruptly to jack, who had read his letter, and was now gazing at the envelope with profound content.
"you've been gloatin' over your billy doo for some time, jack," he said lightly. "i don't suppose your news has affected your appetite."
jack flushed, and made haste to secrete his precious missive; but in his hurry the envelope fell to the floor, and it was observed that it bore the same peculiar postmark as bob's. the boy grabbed it up in confusion, while the big man laughed. whereupon jack waxed indignant.
"what about your own billet-doux?" he asked mischievously. "i think i noticed you got a letter too."
"here it is, young lochinvar, here it is," and mackay flung an open sheet at the youth. "read it, read it; don't mind me. i'm sort o' pleased to mak' it known that somebody thinks o' me."
obeying his request, jack cleared his throat and read aloud the following:—
"dear mr. mackay.—
"i have just heard that you are about to start out on a journey into the interior, and i thought i would remind you of a little account i have against you for several items you sent for last week. the amount is ￡10 17s. 6d. i'll let you off the odd sixpence, but please send your cheque for the remainder before you start. the never never is such an uncertain country—to get out of. best wishes.
"yours sincerely,
"j. rannigan."
"now, that is what i call a thoughtful letter," commented jack, when he had finished.
[pg 203]
"a vera thoughtful letter indeed," agreed mackay, dryly.
then they set about preparing tea, and while they were thus engaged the shadow made his appearance, evidently in great good humour. he carried something concealed in his hand which he gazed at tenderly as he entered, then consigned it to some secret recess in his scanty wardrobe.
"i reckon," said he, "that i want an invite to your banquet to-night. i hasn't even an inch o' damper left in my tent. i broke up the happy home too soon, i calc'late."
mackay laughed. "i ken you're a grand cook, shadow," said he, "an', providin' ye behave, we'll be glad to have your company. ye'll get flour in that bag at your feet, an' water in the kerosene-tin beside ye. now ye can take my place an' mak' wi' these ingredients something nice an' tasty. i'll even gie ye a tootle on the flute to inspire ye in yer efforts."
the lad's countenance fell. "i see i has come along too soon," he grumbled. then he fished about in the folds of his shirt and drew forth the treasure he had secreted. in the quickly fading light it was not easily observable what he held in his hand; but when the wondering trio saw him convey the same to his mouth their worst fears were realized. before they could protest, the wailing of a mouth-organ filled the tent. the shadow blew with might and main, an ecstatic joy illuminating his features, his foot keeping time to the music he perpetrated, and sending up clouds of dust from the sandy floor. that he anticipated a sudden closure was very apparent by the fierce energy he displayed, yet, strangely enough, he was allowed to[pg 204] finish the first tune without mishap; it was only when he adroitly essayed to glide off into a fresh outburst that mackay intervened.
"ye should play that first spasm mair pianissimo," he ventured mildly, while jack sprinkled water about to allay the dust. "now, put that orchestra in your pocket, an' keep it there until we get far oot into the bush. then ye can kill the crows wi' it if ye like."
"right o!" responded the shadow, seemingly delighted to have escaped so easily. "now, i reckon i'll bake a real bowser brownie for tea, an' we'll have a real ole blow out, we will."
"let us eat, drink, and be merry," remarked bob, thoughtfully, "for to-morrow we——"
"start for the never never," prompted jack.
shortly after sunrise the camel team was once more loaded up, and now fireworks' demeanour was beyond reproach; he submitted to his burden with philosophic calm, and only once showed his playful disposition by tearing the sleeve from emu bill's shirt while that gentleman was standing too conveniently near his head. by eight o'clock all was ready for the start, the last breakfast in camp had been partaken of, and the various members of the expedition were standing at their posts awaiting the signal for advance. the population of golden flat had turned out en masse to witness the departure. it was not every day that an expedition left for the distant never never. nuggety dick and dead broke dan were there looking anything but happy; one word from mackay even now would have made them join the party but the leader of the expedition sternly refused to meet their appealing eyes. once more he glanced over the team critically, as[pg 205] if mentally weighing up the amount of endurance contained in the four powerful animals. his scrutiny seemed to give him much satisfaction, and he smiled grimly as he turned his face to the east.
"all ready, boys?" he cried.
"all ready!" came the unanimous reply.
then, just as he was about to signal "right away," the crowd parted, and macguire struggled to the front.
"hold on a minute, boys!" he shouted. "i want a word with mackay."
as for mackay, he viewed the interrupter with considerable disfavour.
"if you had any differences to settle, you might have come along last night," he said. "what's the trouble wi' you?"
"why, man, i just want to say that i bear no ill feeling, an' that i hope you'll be successful, that's all. what course are ye making?"
mackay gazed at the questioner in puzzled wonderment. "i'm glad to have your good wishes, macguire," he said slowly. "our course is east by north to a place that's a bit harder to find than golden flat. let her go, boys!"
the long whips cracked, misery's bell began to chime; the crowd stepped back to give the ponderous team free passage, uniting as they did so in a stentorian coo-ee, that strange call of the bush which combines in its notes the acme of feeling and good fellowship. bob and jack coo-eed lustily in return, mackay waved a cheery goodbye, emu bill and never never dave chaffed their sorrowing acquaintances with tender affection as they passed along the line, and the shadow, pulling at fireworks' nose-rope with one hand contrived to unearth his[pg 206] mouth-organ with the other. strongly he blew, and stepped forth jauntily to the stirring time of "the girl i left behind me," but his charge steadfastly refused to accelerate his gait in such undignified fashion, and the shadow had perforce to seek around in his répertoire for a more suitable march, which he soon found in "there is a happy land," and he kept up his melancholy dirge until he heard never never's voice raised in dire threat against his person. then there was silence, broken only by the tinkling bell of the leading camel, and the vague echoes of golden flat's farewells.
thus they headed out towards the desert, into the land of the never never.
