ost
money; knives which were useful in a fight, were also eligible for
trading purposes as a medium of exchange for flour and tobacco:
consequently both were absent from the movable property of the average
fossicker of Boulder Creek. That they were in the possession of the men
who had stumbled on payable gold within a day's march of the creek was a
further incentive to envy on the part of the Creekers; hence the haste
of each man to vent his anger on Gleeson.

It was their very haste which defeated their object. Peters and Tony,
standing back from the others, saw how it was going with Gleeson the
moment he showed his revolver. As the mob closed in on him and bore him
down by sheer force of numbers, Peters darted for the revolver when it
struck the earth, and Tony, rushing to the rescue of Gleeson, saw how
the crowd, in their hurry to reach their victim, were hitting and
pushing one another, while he was struggling to escape between their
legs. There were more on one side than the other, and to the weakest
side Tony ran, succeeding, with Peters's help, in extricating the
struggling Gleeson while yet the mob meted out severe punishment on one
another. By the time that they had separated and Palmer Billy had picked
himself up, the four were grouped round the ruins of the deserted camp,
each with a revolver in his hand. The picks that had been driven in the
ground were lying on the other side of the creek.

The Creekers, convinced individually that they had effectually disposed
of Gleeson, stood for a few moments, forgetful of the blows and bruises
they had received in the scuffle, as they saw their victim standing
unharmed before them. Palmer Billy moved a few steps towards the four,
and the others, formed into an irregular line behind him, advanced at
the same time.

"Stop where you are, or----" Gleeson cried, as he raised the revolver
and covered Palmer Billy.

There was silence amongst the Creekers, for the situation had changed
since the moment when they yelled for revenge in unison with Palmer
Billy. "The darned dirty I-talyan" was alone and practically unprepared
then--he was back with his mates now; and while they were armed, the
Creekers were not. Palmer Billy sized up the situation quickly and
shrewdly. He turned slowly to his comrades, with one arm extended and
pointing to the four.

"What sort!" he exclaimed hilariously. "They've jumped the jumpers!
We're bluffed at our own game, boys; bluffed at our own g