"Well, if this don't beat all creation!" ejaculated Obed. "I've been in the Western States, and I thought I knew something about mud, but Australy's ahead. I say, Fletcher, is there much of this that we've got to go through?"
"Mud's the rule, and dry land the exception," answered Fletcher coolly.
"Well, that's comfortin'!" remarked Stackpole, drawing a deep breath. "I s'pose people do get through after a while."
"Yes, generally. I was six weeks getting to the Ovens once."
"I wish we had some ovens to bake this mud," said Obed, with a grim smile at his joke. "It would take a powerful large one."
There was nothing for it but dogged perseverance8. It took an hour to get the oxen and cart through a bog a hundred feet across, and the appearance of the party, when they finally reached the other side, was more picturesque9 than attractive.
"His trousers would suffer some," said Jack11. "I think it would break his heart. The sea is much nicer. If we could only go by water," and the young sailor looked down at his mud-bedraggled clothes, and his shoes caked thickly over with the tenacious12 mud.
"Yes, the sea would be cleaner at any rate. I agree with you there, Jack."
Arrived on the other side of the bog, they were obliged to give the tired cattle a rest. Indeed, they needed rest themselves.
At the end of the day they made an encampment. As well as they could judge, they were about eight miles from Melbourne.
"Eight miles; and how far is the whole distance?" asked Harry.
"About a hundred miles," answered Fletcher.
"At this rate, we can go through in twelve or thirteen days, then."
"You mustn't expect this rate of speed," said Fletcher. "We shan't average over five miles."
"Well, I hope we'll get paid for it," said Obed. "If we don't I'd better have stayed in Californy. We haven't any such mines as this in that country."
"You'd better have stayed there," said Fletcher dryly, and he evidently wished that his companion had done so.
"'Variety's the spice of life,' as my old schoolmaster used to say," responded Obed. "I kinder want to see what Australy is like. All the same I don't want to stump13 through to the other side of the globe."
The travellers encamped for the night in a dry spot among a group of gum-trees, and it may readily be believed that all slept well. The boys felt dead tired, and it was with difficulty they were awakened14 in the morning.
About five o'clock Fletcher opened his eyes. He was one who slept fast, so to speak, and obtained as much refreshment15 from an hour's sleep as most people do from a period twice as long. He had been lying on the ground wrapped in a blanket, as was the case with the other members of the party.
Raising himself, and leaning on his elbow, he saw that they were all fast asleep. He nodded with satisfaction, and getting on his feet he approached Obed Stackpole with noiseless tread. The Yankee was sleeping with his mouth wide open, occasionally emitting a sonorous16 snore through his aquiline17 nose. He was not beautiful to look upon, as Fletcher evidently thought.
If any special advantage had been likely to accrue19 to him, Fletcher's conscience would not have been likely to stand in the way of violence; but his purpose now was different.
"The fellow must have gold about him," muttered Fletcher. "I wonder whether I can get at it without waking him up."
Obed seemed to be in a profound slumber20, but it was a peculiarity21 of our Yankee friend to wake at the least touch. This, of course, was not known to Dick Fletcher, who felt that there would be no risk in a careful exploration of Obed's pockets.
He thrust his hand into one of the Yankee's pockets with the practiced skill of a pickpocket22, when an entirely23 unexpected result followed.
"Why, you skunk24, what in creation are you about?" exclaimed Obed, suddenly seizing Fletcher by the throat.
"Let me go!" said Fletcher, struggling violently, but ineffectually, to free himself.
"Not till you've told me what you are after."
"Let go, and I'll tell you."
Obed loosened his grip, saying sternly, "Are you a pickpocket, my enterprising friend, or what is the meaning of all this business?"
"You had better not insult me!" said Fletcher angrily. "I'm no more a pickpocket than you are."
"Then what is the meaning of your little game? Maybe you got up in your sleep."
"No, I didn't. I just waked up, and thought I'd like to have a smoke, but had no matches. I thought you might have some in your pocket."
"Why didn't you wake me up and ask me?"
"You looked so comfortable, and I thought you needed rest after a hard day's work, so I decided25 to help myself."
"It looks like it," responded Obed dryly. "So that's all you were after, was it?"
"Well, it strikes me it's rather takin' a liberty with a gentleman to search his pockets while he's asleep, that's all! In Californy, Fletcher, if you had been caught doin' it, ten chances to one you'd have been lynched, and lynchin' isn't usually regarded as comfortable or desirable. Where's your cigar?"
"I haven't any, but I've got a pipe."
"Well, I do happen to have a few matches in my other pocket, but I'd rather you'd ask for 'em next time."
"I will. The fact is, I ought to have brought some with me. It's very strange, old traveller as I am."
"It would have been a little better than borrowin' them of a sleepin' man without leave. Don't do it again, Fletcher."
"I'm not very likely to borrow them of you again, except when you're awake," said Fetcher with a short laugh. "Do you always wake up so easy?" he asked, in some curiosity.
"I shall remember that," thought Fletcher. "This Yankee is rather a dangerous man to tackle. I won't attempt it again unless I have the decided advantage."
"I hope you'll excuse me, Mr. Stackpole," he said aloud in a smooth tone. "I used to travel with a friend—a great chum of mine—and we never stood on ceremony with each other. I ought to have remembered that you and I are comparatively new acquaintances."
"Perhaps it will be best," said Obed dryly. "You see when I wake up I don't always have my wits about me, and I might cut up rough before I had time to think."
"Oh, no apologies, I beg," said Fletcher, waving his hand.
"Who's apologizin'?" demanded Obed, in surprise.
"Never mind, it's all right! I thought you were apologizing for seizing me by the throat. As you say, you waked up suddenly, and didn't have your wits about you."
"Well, I know!" ejaculated Obed half to himself. "I didn't think of that way of puttin' it. You're a cute fellow, Fletcher."
"Thank you, Mr. Stackpole. Now I will have my smoke;" and Fletcher, though he did not care for it, by way of removing any lingering suspicion, lit his pipe and puffed28 away with apparent pleasure.
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1
beset
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| v.镶嵌；困扰，包围 | |
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boggy
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| adj.沼泽多的 | |
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bog
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| n.沼泽；室...陷入泥淖 | |
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volcanic
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| adj.火山的；象火山的；由火山引起的 | |
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abounding
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| adj.丰富的，大量的v.大量存在，充满，富于( abound的现在分词 ) | |
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slough
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| v.蜕皮，脱落，抛弃 | |
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mare
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| n.母马，母驴 | |
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8
perseverance
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| n.坚持不懈，不屈不挠 | |
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9
picturesque
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| adj.美丽如画的，（语言）生动的，绘声绘色的 | |
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harry
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| vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼 | |
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jack
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| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
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12
tenacious
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| adj.顽强的，固执的，记忆力强的，粘的 | |
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13
stump
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| n.残株，烟蒂，讲演台；v.砍断，蹒跚而走 | |
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14
awakened
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| v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到 | |
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15
refreshment
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| n.恢复，精神爽快，提神之事物；（复数）refreshments:点心，茶点 | |
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16
sonorous
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| adj.响亮的，回响的；adv.圆润低沉地；感人地；n.感人，堂皇 | |
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aquiline
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| adj.钩状的，鹰的 | |
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brute
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| n.野兽，兽性 | |
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19
accrue
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| v.(利息等)增大，增多 | |
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slumber
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| n.睡眠，沉睡状态 | |
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peculiarity
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| n.独特性，特色；特殊的东西；怪癖 | |
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pickpocket
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| n.扒手；v.扒窃 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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24
skunk
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| n.臭鼬，黄鼠狼；v.使惨败，使得零分；烂醉如泥 | |
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25
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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regaining
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| 复得( regain的现在分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地 | |
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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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28
puffed
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| adj.疏松的v.使喷出( puff的过去式和过去分词 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧 | |
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