e one per
cent., and besides the Crown exacts a royalty of ten per cent."

"That's pretty steep, isn't it, Obed?"

"I will cheerfully bear my part of it," said Obed. "I remember there was
an old fellow in our place who owned considerable property--at any rate
he was taxed for fifteen thousand dollars. Whenever taxes became due he
was always groanin' and predictin' that he'd end his days in the
poorhouse. My father, who was only taxed for fifteen hundred, said to
him one day, 'Mr. Higgins, if you'll give me half of your property, I'll
agree to pay taxes on the whole, so that you'll have nothing to pay.'"

"Did he accept?" asked Harry, with a smile.

"Not much, but he stopped growlin'. It may have given him a new idea of
the matter."

"How soon do you think of getting away, Obed?"

"As soon as we have sold the claim," answered the Yankee. "When it gets
reported round the camp what we've found there'll be plenty that'll want
to buy it on speculation, you may be sure of that."

"I didn't think of that," said Harry, his eyes brightening. "We're
luckier than I thought."

"Yes," answered Obed jocularly, "we're men of property now. I'm afraid
we'll have to pay taxes ourselves when we get home."

CHAPTER XXVI.

A THIEF'S EMBARRASSMENT.

When the thief left Obed Stackpole's cabin with his booty his heart was
filled with exultation. He had been drifting about for years, the
football of fortune, oftener down than up, and had more than once known
what it was to pass an entire day without food. And all this because he
had never been willing to settle down to steady work or honest industry.
He had set out in life with a dislike for each, and a decided preference
for living by his wits. Theft was no new thing for him. Once he had
barely escaped with his life in one of the Western States of America for
stealing a horse. He had drifted to Australia, with no idea of working
at the mines or anywhere else, but with the intention of robbing some
lucky miner and making off with the proceeds of his industry.

Well, he had succeeded, and his heart was light.

"No more hard work for me," he said to himself joyfully, "no more
privation and suffering. Now I can live like a gentleman."

It never seemed to occur to him that a thief could by no possibility
live like a gentleman. To be a gentleman, in his opinion, meant having a
pocketful of money.

He would like to have examined the nugget, but there was no time, nor
was ther