d, and the great hull of the steamer slid slowly
along the pier, and Gerrard and his friends went to the rail to see the
last of Lacey. He, however, for the moment did not see them, as he was
hurriedly writing in his pocket-book. Then tearing out the leaf, he
looked up, and pushing his way through the crowd to the edge of the
pier, was just in time to reach out and place the paper in Gerrard's
hand.

"Don't read it now," he cried, as he drew back; "put it in your pocket.
Good-bye, and good luck."

A few minutes later Captain MacAlister asked Gerrard and Fraser to come
up on the bridge, and Gerrard unfolded Lacey's missive and read:

"Just recognised one of your fellow-passengers--tall, stout,
good-looking, yellow moustache, jewellery. Look out for him--
noted card-sharper, and all-round blackguard. Calls himself
Honble Wilburd Merriton, but has heaps of aliases--ex-gaol
bird."

Gerrard showed the note to Fraser, who nodded, and said he had noticed
the man.

"I think there is a party of them. See, there they are together at the
companion; and, by Jove, I can swear to one of them! I tried him at
Araluen for being concerned in gold-stealing, and gave him three years
'hard.' That is he with the black moustache and Jewish features--Mr
Barney Green."

CHAPTER XX

Not only the saloon, but the steerage accommodation of the _Gambier_ was
taxed to the utmost, and Gerrard and Fraser were not surprised to see
that there were quite a hundred diggers on board, for Lacey had told
them a few days previously that the Sydney and Melbourne newspapers as
well as the Queensland Press had, weeks previously, reported that
many prospecting parties were doing well on both sides of Cape York
Peninsula.

Some of them the ex-judge quickly recognised as men he had met at Gympie
and other Queensland gold-fields, and he was especially pleased to see
one man--a tall, broad-shouldered Irishman named Blake, who at that
moment was engaged in an altercation with the fore-cabin steward, and
causing roars of laughter every few moments from his rough companions.

"That's a 'broth av a boy,' and no mistake," said Captain MacAlister,
coming over to Fraser and Gerrard; "he's as full of mischief as a
monkey, but a great favourite with every one on board, except the
unfortunate stewards. He is a lucky digger from Gympie, and came aboard
at Brisbane, and has kept the ship in an uproar ever since. He took a
four-berth sta