The Minneapolis journal., 1905-11-19
(Copyright, 1908, by Charles Scribner's Sons.)


II T was coming up the Murrumbidgee
that Fergus Carrick first heard
Il the name Of Stingaree. With the
cautious enterprise Of his race, the
young gentleman had booked steerage
on a river steamer whose solitary pas
senger he proved to be; accordingly
he was not only permitted to sleep on the
saloon settee at nights, but graciously
hidden to the captains board by day.
It was there that Fergus Carrick en-
couraged tales Of the bushrangers as
the one cleanly topic familiar in the
mouth of the elderly engineer who COM
pleted the party. And il seemed that
the knighthood Of the up-country road
had been an extinct order from the
extirpation of the Kellys to the appear
ance of this same Stingaree, who was
reported a man of birth and mystery,
with an ostentatious passion for music
and as romantic method as that OF
any highwayman of the old world from
which he hailed. But the callow Fergus
had been spared the romantic tempera-
ment, and was less impressed than en-
tertained with what he heard.
On his arrival at Glenranald, how
ever, he found that substantial town
ship shaking with laughter over the out
law s latest and least discreditable eX-
plot, at the back block hamlet Of Yal-
larock; and then it was that young Car
rick first conceived an ambition to open
his colonial career with the capture OF
Stingaree; for he was q serious lmml-
grant, who had come out in his teens,
to stay out if necessary, for the term
of his natural life.
The idea had birth under one of the
many pine trees which shaded the
skeleton streets Of budding Glenranald.
On this tree was nailed placard offer
ing high reward for the bushranger 8
person alive or dead. Fergus was max
ing an immediate note in his pocket
book when a hand fell on his shoulder
"Would We like the half o yon'' in
quired voice in his own tongue; and
there at his elbow stood an elderly gen
tleman, whose patriarchal beard hlo
half the buttons of his alpaca coat
while black skull cap sat somewhat
jauntily on his head.
"What do you meanq' said Fergus
bluntly, for the old gentleman stood
chuckling gently in his venerable beard
''To lay a hold Of him. replied the
other, "with the help o. some younger
and ADLER bodied man; and you re thu
very one | want.'
The raw youth stared ingenously.
"But what can you know about mes'
~ saw we land at the wharf, sale
the old gentleman, nodding his approva
of the question, "and says l, THAT 4
my man. as soon as ever I clappet
eyes on We. So l had crack WI thu
captain o. yon steamer; he told mi
you hadna a billet, but were just OF
the lookout for the best ye could ge
an that g all ID been able to get ou-
O. We in a fve-days' voyage. That wa!
enough for me. / want man who car
keep his tongue behind his teeth, ane
I wanted you before L knew you were
a brither Scot!'
care you squatter, sir7' the young
man asked, little overwhelmed.
"No, sir, 1 IN branch manager o. thu
Bank O New South Wales, the only
bank within a hundred miles o. wher'
we stand; and I can offer ye bette
billet than any squatter in the colony
"Indeed9 I IN sure you re very kind
sir, but I m wanting to get on sta
tion,' protested Fergus with all hi
tact. "And as matter Of fact, l hav
instructions to one or two station
further back, tho I saw no reason t.
tell our friend the skipper So"
"Quite right, right! I like a MAJ
who can keep his tongue in its ken
nel!' cried the bank manager, rubbin
his hands. "But wait while / tel
ye; ye'd need to work for your ration
on any station I ever heard tell OF
and I keep the accounts of enough t
know. Now, with me, ye'd get tw
pounds week till your share o. tn
reward was wiped off; and if We had n
luck for a year you d be no worse of
but could 60 and try your squatter
then. That's a promise, and I'll kee
1t as sure as my names Andr' MAJ
bean!'
"But how do you propose to cate
this fellow, Mr.. MacBean9'
The bank manager looked on all side
likewise behind the tree, before reply
ing under his breath: FBy setting
wee trap for him! A banks a banl
and Stingaree hasna stuck one up sine
he took to his trade. But Ill tell y
no more till ye give me your answe
Yes or no?'
"I'm afraid 7 don't even write a
office hand; and as for figures
Mr.. Macbean laughed outright.
"Did I say 7 was going to take J
into the bank mun?' cried h
s'There s three of us already to do tt
writing an the cipherin', ,, an three
enough. Can you ride?'
81 have ridden.'
"And yell do any rough job [ s
ye to9'
"The rougher the better.''
"That's all 1 ask. There's buge
and a pair for we to mind, and mebl
drive. tho it's horseback errands you
do most Of. L IN an old widower, ivil
alone with an aged housekeeper. II
cashier and the clerk dig in the tow
ship, and I need to have man Of son
sort about the place; in fact, have or
but I III soon get rid OF him II you
come instead. Understand, you live
the house with me, just like the Jack
zoos on the stations; and like
iackeroos, you do all the odd jobs al
dirty work that no one elsell look
but, unlike them, you get two poun
week from the first for doing it,
Andrew Macbean had CHANGED up
a magic word. It was the position
"Jackeroo,' or utility parlor man,
one or other of the stations to viii
he carried introductions, that his you
countryman had set before him as
goal. True, bank in bush townsh
was not a station in the bush itse
On the other hand, his would-be frie
was not the first to warn Fergus agalI