Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-03-22


to see an old mate, "Iow are you get
ting alongp"i
"Mein Colt Bo-kee - he cried, max.
ing as though he would Jump out of his
skin with delight. although knew at once
from his face that he was far from pleased
at my coming across him.
But we did the first that old mates al
ways do when they meet; we went out
and had drink. When | asked him
about 10 the Tinman, he told me in a way
that thought was little bit Hurried, that
thay had not been able to agree, and had
parted. was not surprised to hear that,
but was surprised to hear that 10 the
Iinman had gone home to the old country.
For 10 the Tinman had told me half a
dozen times, that il he had the choice and
had ten thousand year, be would not go
back to the old country, but would prefer
to live and die in Australia. If he had
the choice, say, because he didn't have
the choice. He might have found it too
hot for him in the old country, for he was
sent out for life by paterna govern
ment, bless it the same as was.
Dutch Louis told me he was doing we'll /;
that he had good piece OF ground on the
new rush, and that he intended soon to
give up gold digging. We didn't get
along very well in our talk, and Dutch
Louis felt awkward, think, and he pulled
out bis pipe for the purpose of having a
smoke.
1t is wonderful what great deal comes
out of very little Ii Dutch Louis
hadn't pulled out his pipe, | shouldn't have
pulled out my pipe, | shouldn't have been
able to tell you this story. For if you
want TO smoke pipe you must light it i,
and to light il, il you havn't fire,
match is necessary, and matches are kept
in a matchbox, and the matchbox that
Datch Louis pulled out OF his pocket when
we were going to light our pipes. was,
the very matchbox had given to 10 the
Tinman fifteen months ago.
The sight OF the matchbox gave me a
shock Tm not a nervous man, but the
sight Of that little metal matchbox did
give me an awful turn. For, says to
myself:
''lf 10 the Tinman is the man | take
him to be, he wouldn't have parted with
that matchbox willingly
i knew it by my own feelings. |
wouldn't have parted with the knife he
gave me tor a hundred pounds. And,
then, says to myself again:
IF 10 the Tinman didn't part with that
matchbox willingly. he parted with it I'M
willingly, and il he parted with it unwil-
ingly, what thenp
All this ran through my mind while
was lighting my pipe, and | determined,
come what would, to find out if my old
mate 10 the Tinman had really gone home
or not, and il he hadn't gone home, to find
xxyh had AZ Wha, I
asked Dutch Louis how they got on when
they went out prospecting tor big mug
gets, he told me rum sort of story
about their travelling a hundred miles
through the bush. and then they quarelled
abort which was the proper track to fol-
low, and had parted. When | asked how
he knew 10 the Tinman had gone home,
he said he had it from mate in Mel
bourne, who said that he saw 10 the Tin
man on board a ship an hour before it
sailed.
That's all know about it, Bo-kee,"
said Dutch Louis.
l nodded and said was sorry had not
seen Jo before he left the country. new
er said a word about the match box.
Can you give me shake-down to-
night, Loo ''' | asked
No, he said he couldn't. He was so
sorry to refuse me that he was almost
ready to cry. His tent. he said was only
eight feet by ten, and two of his mates
slept 10 it as well as himself.
''Oh, no !" thought |, you've got some
thing in that tent you don't want me to
see"
With that | wished him goodbye.
But didn't lose sight of him. Not l.
l tracked him to his tent that evening. 1t
wasn't an eight by ten--the lying thief.
{. 1t was double that size. But what do you
think was chained to the side of that tent |?
why, 10 the Tinman's dog my old
mate dog, Lion, that he wouldn't have
parted with for his lie. And directly
cast eyes on that dog. said to myself
''Bo-kee. there has been foul play with
our old mate. aud you must find out what
has become of him ~
The sight of that dog aid give me
turn. i felt as if flash of lightning had
lighted up my brain.
had fifty pictures in my mind in mo-
ment, but the ugliest of them was old 10
the Tinman lying dead upon the ground.
and Dutch Louis grinning over him. Lion
was the finest and most faithful beast
ever knew, and had often heard 10 the
Tinman say that he would rather be a
poor beggar all his life with Lion for a
companion. than rich man without him.
He was a brave dog. 1t was a difficult
matter getting out of his jaws, if his
blood was up, and once you were in them.
He would hold on like grim DEATH and in
former times had been the terror of every
dog in the neighborhood He was cut
and bitten all over from the battles he
had fought How the dickens Dutch
Louis managed to keep him, and how he
had got hold of him at all, was more
than / was able to discover. The best
part OF all this came into my head while
was having my tea in grog-shanty, for
after caught sight of Lion | crept quiet
~ away; it was not dark enough yet for
nae to do anything, and did not want
Dutch Louis to see me skulking about his
tent. | made inquiries about Dutch Lou, S
aud heard that he was generally disliked
that be did not associate with any OF the
gold-diggers, and that he was spoken OF
by nearly everybody as miserable, rich,
surlv Dutch thief. One thing made up
my mind 10, and that was to have 10 the
Tinman's dog that very night.
So when it got dark, watched Dutch
I.ouis ont of his tent-he was livinu oil