ng on a
little joke at which the boys felt bound to laugh.

As they sat at the door of their cabin, they kept a good lookout in the
direction of their claim. They could not afford, now that success was in
their grasp, to have it snatched away. But they discovered no suspicious
movements on the part of anyone. In fact, no one suspected that they had
"struck it rich." So poor was the general opinion of their claim, that
they would have found it hard to obtain a purchaser at any price. Had
there been the least suspicion, the camp would have been greatly
excited.

As a rule, the miners retired early. They became fatigued during the
day, and sleep was welcome. There was, indeed, a gambling saloon at some
distance, frequented by the more reckless, but generally good hours were
observed in the camp.

About half past eleven, Obed nudged Harry and Jack, who had fallen
asleep.

"What is it?" asked Harry, in a drowsy tone.

"Hush!" whispered Obed. "Don't make any more noise than you can help. I
think it will be safe to go and secure the nugget now."

This was enough. Harry was wide awake in an instant, and he in turn
roused Jack.

There was no elaborate toilet to make, for they had thrown themselves
down in their day attire. They left the cabin, and by the faint light of
the moon, which was just ready to retire for the night, they found their
way to the claim without being observed.

Fifteen minutes' work, and the task was accomplished. The nugget was
raised, and wrapped in a red bandanna handkerchief, which Obed had
brought all the way from his New England home.

"It must weigh seventy-five pounds," whispered Obed exultantly. "Boys,
we're in tall luck. It was worth coming out to Australy for. We'll keep
it in the cabin over night, and to-morrow we'll put it where it will be
safe."

They gained the cabin without having been seen so far as they knew. Of
the hundreds of men sleeping within a furlong's distance, not one
dreamed of a discovery which was to draw the attention of the whole
colony to Bendigo. But they had not wholly escaped observation. One pair
of eyes had detected them in their midnight walk.

CHAPTER XXIV.

THE NUGGET IN DANGER.

The tramp, who has already been introduced to the reader, had spent the
evening at the gambling house, having come into possession, during the
day, of a small sum of money, given him by a compassionate miner. He had
risked it, and for a time been successful, so that at