h a sudden effort, Benjamin said firmly, if
a little loudly, "Is my swag packed, Jake?"

"Bill done it himself," answered the apprentice. "I seen him do it when
he packed his own."

"That's one more little kindness. Thanks, mate." Tresco placed the
ring-case in his pocket, and led the way to the kitchen. There the
"swags" lay on the table, and each man took his own and hitched it on
his shoulders.

"Two such valuable swags," said the Prospector, "it's never been my
fortune to see. Twenty thousand couldn't buy 'em."

With these words, he passed into the street; Tresco following.

The body-guard of diggers closed round them, and escorted them to the
house of Pilot Summerhayes.

Inside the garden-gate, the party of rough, ill-clad, warm-hearted men
paused, and one of their number went forward, and knocked at the front
door. Rose opened it.

"We want to see Mr. Scarlett," said the digger.

The girl vanished, and Jack, followed by the Pilot, appeared.

"Hullo! hullo!" exclaimed the gruff old sailor, as he caught sight of
the gold-miners in the garden. "We're invaded, Jack: it's another
warrant. How now, my man; what have we been doing? Are there more
murderers to be lodged in gaol?--I thought they'd caught the lot."

"There's four of 'em in quod, boss," replied the digger; "I guess that's
the whole gang, s'far's Tresco's evidence goes to prove."

"Ah! there's the goldsmith himself," exclaimed the Pilot, pressing
through the throng in the garden. "How d'you do, sir? I have to thank
you, on behalf of my dar'ter and myself." He gripped the goldsmith's
hand, and almost wrung it off.

"That's all right," said Tresco. "Yes, that's all right. I couldn't
stand by and see an innocent man murdered. Certainly not." Here he got
his hand free, and proffered it to Scarlett, who grasped it with a
warmth which quite equalled the Pilot's.

"Tresco," said Jack, looking straight into the goldsmith's face, "you
have accumulated against me a debt I can never pay."

"I don't know," replied the goldsmith, laughing; "I'm not so sure of
that. Sometimes Justice miscarries. How about that _kaka_ nugget? When
you've explained that, I shall feel I was justified in saving you from
the hand of the Law."

Jack laughed too. "You dog! You know the facts as well as I do.
Moonlight took a fancy to the piece of gold and offered a good price,
which the Jew took. I bought it from my mate. That point is perfectly
clear. But I see you've got your