nd Jan laughed with him, but in a quieter way.

"Whatever put it into your head to personate Frederick?" inquired Jan.
"Was it done to frighten the people?"

"Not at first," answered John Massingbird.

"Because, if to frighten had been your motive, you need only have
appeared in your own person," continued Jan. "You were thought to be
dead, you know, as much as Fred was. Fred _is_ dead, I suppose?"

"Fred is dead, poor fellow, safe enough. I was supposed to be dead, but
I came to life again."

"Did you catch Fred's star when he died?" asked Jan, pointing to the
cheek.

"No," replied John Massingbird, with another burst of laughter, "I get
that up with Indian-ink."

Bit by bit, Jan came into possession of the details. At least, of as
much of them as John Massingbird deemed it expedient to furnish. It
appeared that his being attacked and robbed and left for dead, when
travelling down to Melbourne, was perfectly correct. Luke Roy quitted
him, believing he was dead. Luke would not have quitted him so hastily,
but that he wished to be on the track of the thieves, and he hastened to
Melbourne. After Luke's departure, John Massingbird came, as he phrased
it, to life again. He revived from the suspended animation, or swoon,
which, prolonged over some hours, had been mistaken for death. The
bullet was extracted from his side, and he progressed pretty rapidly
towards recovery.

Luke meanwhile had reached Melbourne; and had come in contact with a
family of the name of Eyre. Luke--if you have not forgotten--had said to
Mr. Eyre that he had obtained a clue to the men who robbed his master;
such, at least, was the information given by that gentleman to Sibylla
Massingbird, on her subsequent sojourn at his house. He, Mr. Eyre, had
said that Luke had promised to return the following day and inform him
how he sped in the search, but that Luke never did return; that he had
never seen him afterwards. All true. Luke found the clue, which he
thought he had gained, to be no clue at all; but he heard news that
pleased him better than fifty clues would have done--that his master,
Mr. Massingbird, was alive. One who had travelled down to Melbourne from
where John was lying, gave him the information. Without waiting to break
bread or draw water, without giving another thought to Mr. Eyre, Luke
started off there and then, to retrace his steps to John Massingbird.
John was nearly well then, and they returned at once to the diggings. In
h