l held the vessel fast to the wharf. The
captain shouted "Bob, Bob, get ashore and cast off the hawser."

Bob now saw the long-waited-for opportunity and with alacrity sprang to
the wharf, but not to release the hawser. He ran along, hidden by the
jetty, until he reached the shore and then dodged into a house where he
had friends. The skipper could not stop to hunt up the runaway, so the
vessel was towed out through the Heads and sailed for Newcastle to pick
up a cargo for India.

The next day Bob started on foot for the mines and, while on his way,
picked up one of his old shipmates with whom he formed a partnership. On
arriving at the diggings, the two staked out a claim and began sinking a
shaft; but after reaching the bottom no metal greeted their longing
eyes. Another shaft was sunk and this time they struck it rich.

Within two months each had saved up one hundred twenty pounds of gold.
Like some of his companions, Bob now concluded to take a short rest and
go to Sydney for a few days of pleasure. Therefore he changed his gold
into pound notes, and, stuffing the big rolls into his trousers'
pockets, started for the city.

Being of an economical turn of mind, he concluded to walk, and taking an
early start, by the middle of the afternoon he had measured off
twenty-five miles. The day was hot and the roads dusty; and seeing a
shady nook, near a creek not far from the roadside, he betook himself
thither and sat down to wait for a bullock wagon which he had passed two
hours before. The water in the stream looked cool and inviting, so he
undressed to take a swim.

In taking off his clothes he pulled out of his pockets the two bundles
of pound notes and laid them beside his boots. After being in the water
for some time, he came out; and looking where he had laid the notes,
could see them nowhere. Who could have taken them? He saw no one around
when he undressed, and he had seen no one about while he was bathing.
Possibly the thief was hiding behind some of the trees near by. Without
waiting to dress, he searched here and there behind trees and logs, but
there was no sign of the thief.

He was greatly disheartened at his loss, but, putting on his clothes, he
came across a ten-pound note which he had concealed in a side pocket.
This find cheered him up and he resolved to go down to the city
notwithstanding his loss. The bullock team soon came along and Bob told
the driver what had happened. They both searched the gr