" said Frank Oldfield, "let bygones be bygones. I trust that
you'll not make any more such awkward mistakes."

"You're satisfied then, sir?" asked Graves.

"Yes, so far as my money is concerned. But there's a graver charge
against you still. Jacob Poole has informed me, and asserts it most
positively, that you stole into his tent at the diggings and tried to
murder him."

"Well, did I ever!" exclaimed Juniper, holding up both his hands in
amazement. "I really think, sir, that young man can't be quite right in
his head. _Me_ try to murder him! why, I've never set eyes on him since
the day he spoke so impertinently to me at the cottage. _Me_ murder
him! what can the poor, silly young man be thinking of. It's all his
fancy, sir; merely congestion of the brain, sir, I assure you; nothing
but congestion of the brain."

"It may be so," replied Frank; "but here he comes himself; let us hear
what he has to say on the subject."

They both stepped out into the open air as Jacob Poole came up.

Poor Jacob, had he seen the "father of lies" himself walking with his
master, he could hardly have been more astounded. He rubbed his eyes,
and stared hard again at Frank and his companion, to assure himself that
he was not mistaken or dreaming. No; there could be no doubt of it.
Frank Oldfield was there, and Juniper Graves was as clearly there; and
it was equally plain that there was more of confidence than of distrust
in his master's manner towards the robber and intended murderer. What
could it all mean?

"Come here, Jacob," said Frank. "I see you look rather aghast, and I
don't wonder; but perhaps you may find that Juniper Graves here is not
quite so black as we have thought him. He acknowledges that he took my
fifty pounds, but he says he never meant to keep it; and that he missed
his way in looking for a doctor, and afterwards joined a party at the
diggings."

"Well, Mayster Frank?" said Jacob, with a look of strong incredulity.

"Ah, I see you don't believe it, and I own it don't sound very likely;
but then, you see, he has given me a proof of his wish not to wrong me;
for--look here, Jacob--he has returned me my fifty pounds, and wanted me
to take another ten pounds, and some nuggets besides, his own hard
earnings at the diggings; only, of course, I wouldn't have them."

"Indeed, mayster," replied Jacob, with a dry cough of disbelief; and
glancing at Juniper, who had assumed, and was endeavouring to keep up on