The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1890-05-29
A DEBT OF GRATITUDE.

The day arrived in Adelaide, Aus
tralia, was twenty years old, and my
pocket contained dollar for every year
had lived. had exactly four pounds
to begin life on in the colony, aud that
was more than some of the English boys
who had come out with me could boast
of. We were queer lot who had sailed
from Liverpool-gentlemen, loafers,
clerks, lackeys, whole families, single
men, servants and what not-all bent on
new life in the wonderful island of the
Indian Ocean. We had come in sailing
ship and been knocked about for months,
and happy lot we were to be set on
shore in the then small and struggling
town Ihave named.
Luck was with me. On the second
day after landing l hired to sheep
raiser who had a ranch on the Murray
River, near its junction with the Darling,
and on the third we started off up the
country. We had two OK tcams-that is,
we had two covered wagons, each loaded
with supplies, and each drawn by three
yoke of oxen. A part of the goods were
to be left with settlers along the route,
and part belonged to Mr.. Davidson, my
employer. He did not hire me, not being
present, but the teams were in charge of
an overseer named Mccall, whom / soon
found to be good-natured, good
hearted fellow. Each of us had native
to assist in managing the teams, and,
though neither of them could speak ten
words of English, they were valuable
men, and had no difficulty in being under
stood.
1t was about Christmas time, and the
weather was very sultry, and we aimed
to make only fifteen miles day. We had
a full weeks journey before us, and moth
ing of much interest happened until
the fourth day. We went into camp a
little earlier than usual on that afternoon,
as one of the wagons needed repairs. Our
vehicles, afer coming to a halt, stood
about twenty-five feet apart. While l
was building fire to cook supper by one
of the blacks went off after rabbits, and
Mccall took the other with him to help
CuI duSl pAiu9 odCh u lcNei Will WHICH W
raise the wagon off its wheels. was
thus left alone Tors few minutes, and
they had scarcely disappeared from sight
in the scrub when a man burst out of the
thicket on the other side and came run
ming up to me, His face and hands
were scratched and bleeding, his clothing
in tatters, his hat gone, and he had such
wild and terrible look that | should
have run away from him had been able
TO do anything but stand and stare with
mouth wide open. Mccall had told me
of escaped convicts and hard cases who
had taken to the bush to make living by
robbing, and the man had come upon me
so suddenly that was knocked out for
the moment
''For Gods sake, young Teller, give me
bite to eat" he said as he stood before
me. "Don't be afraid of me-I'm a
sheep herder who has been lost in the
bush for three days"
Istepped to the wagon and handed
him piece of bacon, some hard crack
ers, and handful of tea and then
found voice to ask:
"But why not stop with us for the
night?"
"Thanks, but I'm in great hurry to
get back to my herd. I know where
am now, and can get there in three
hours. Any matehes!"
gave him some, and he looked all
around to make sure that we were alone,
and then said:
"Young Teller, do me q greater favor
still. Lend me your pistol and knife I'M
til tomorrow, when you will pass my
station. And, furthermore, be kind
enough not to mention to any one that |
was here. Do this and you shall never
regret it."
handed him knife and pistol, prom.
ised what he asked, and he shook me by
the hand and disappeared in the scrub.
Ten minutes after he had gone figured it
out that he was bushman who had been
hard run by the police, but it was all the
same to me. He could have taken what
he wanted for all of me, as I felt per-
fectly helpless, and / was thankful that
he had come and gone without knocking
me on the head. just as Mccall came
up with the lever there was clatter OF
hoofs, and / looked up to see five
mounted men ride into camp. They were
in the uniform of the patrol, and the ap.
rearance Of the horses and the men
showed that they had had long ride Of
it.
swell, Capt. White, what is it," asked
Mccall, who seemed to know every one OF
the five.
''Been after Ballarat Sam again. re.
piled the Captain as he dismounted.
'And lost him?"
eyes; curse the luck! We struck him
near Dobney's yesterday morning, and he
led us chase of fifty miles during the
day. We killed his horse about dark last
night and had him surrounded in the
scrub. He got out, however, and WI
did not get his track until about noon to
day. We followed it to the creek, two
miles above, and there lost it. Haven
seen him here, of course2"
~ only wish we had. There's re-
ward of $500 on his head, l hear"
at has been increased to twice that
Show me his body and I'll make rici
man of you"
The patrol turned their horses loos,
and had supper with us, furnishing ,
part from their own rations. Then Their,
was general talk and storytelling unit
about 10 o'clock, and then all but on,
man turned in for sleep. had been in
troduced all around, but had taken yer,
little part or interest in the conversation
being sure, from the first words Spoken
by the Captain, that had met Ballard
Sam AMI aided him to make fresh start
l thought at first of telling the Who'll.
story to the patrol, but they were serious
sober-looking chaps, and had fear thai
they would give me an awful rakina
down, even if they did not lug Inc of
and seek to have me punished as aiding
and abetting. remembered, too, that
had solemnly promised Sam not to betra,
him, and so 1 decided to keep a still
tongue and let the case work out as il
would.