was produced, and
the four men began to play--Aulain as recklessly as usual, and drinking
frequently, as was now habitual with him.

Night had fallen, and the diggers' camp fires were everywhere
blazing among tents and humpies, as the ex-officer and his villainous
acquaintances still sat at their cards, too intent upon the game to
think of supper. Vale's black boy, however, brought them in some tea,
damper, and a tin of preserved meat, and they made a hurried meal. Just
as they had begun to play afresh, they heard a horseman draw up outside,
and a voice say "Good-evening, boss," to Vale.

All four men knew that voice, and Aulain's dark face set, as turning
down his cards, he held up his hand for silence.

"I'm Gerrard from Ocho Rios," went on the voice as the rider dismounted,
and, giving his horse to the black boy, followed Vale into the combined
bar and store. "I've camped the cattle five miles from here, and pushed
on to let you know. Can you take delivery tomorrow morning pretty early,
as I want to get down to the coast again as soon as I can?"

"You bet!" said Vale with a laugh; "I'm all ready, and so is the
money--not in cash, but in nuggets at four pounds the ounce. Is that
right?"

"Quite," was the answer, and then the four listeners heard Vale drawing
the cork of a bottle of beer--a rare commodity at Hansen's Rush. "Come
round here, Mr Gerrard, and sit down. There's another room, but just now
there are four chaps gaffing there, and so if you don't mind we'll sit
here, and talk until my nigger gets you some supper." Then they began to
talk about the cattle, Vale frankly telling Gerrard that if he had asked
another five pounds per head, he would have paid it, as the diggers had
had no fresh meat for nearly five months.

"Well, I've been very lucky," said Gerrard, and Forreste saw Aulain's
teeth set, and wondered. "We--three black boys and myself--started out
from the station with a hundred and ten head, and have not lost a single
beast--no niggers, no alligators, no poison bush, nothing of any kind to
worry us for the whole two hundred miles."

"I'll give him something to worry over before long," said Green
viciously to Forreste.

"And so shall I," said Aulain in a savage whisper.

"Do you know him?" asked Forreste eagerly.

Aulain replied with a curt nod, and then again held up his hand for
silence.

"Curse you, keep quiet; I want to hear what he is saying."

"Well, I'm glad to see you, Mr Gerrard