canvas. Picking
himself up, he ran into the darkness. He heard footsteps following him,
and increased his pace, stumbling on the strange ground. But a voice
assured him.

'Keep to the right! Make for cover!' panted his pursuer.

VII

FINDING only one man following, Jim Done ceased running on reaching a
clump of trees, and presently he was joined by the young Australian who
had aided him.

'My colonial, you sprint like an emu!' gasped the latter. 'All the same,
that was a mad sort o' thing to do.'

'What was?'

'Why, showin' yourself 'bout here with the cheek of a dashed
commissioner, while there's five hundred on your head, hot or cold, live
or dead, an' every trooper in the country whim' to give his long ears to
pot you.'

'But you are quite wrong; I'm not this Solo.'

'Not Solo! That won't wash. Wasn't I there with Long Aleck when you got
away with the gold Hoban hid in our nosebag other side o' Geelong?'

'You're on the wrong scent. My name is Done. I'm a new chum, landed only
this morning off the Francis Cadman.'

'Here, let's look you over again.' The stranger struck a match, and,
shielding it with his hands, examined Jim's face. 'Dunno,' he said, 'but
p'r'aps you are a bit young. Still, rig a beard around that chiv of
yours, and it's Solo to the life.'

'If it's worth while, walk down to the ship with me, and I'll satisfy you
in two minutes.'

Your word's good enough for me. Solo or no, taint my deal.'

'Well, you've gone to some trouble to help me out of a hole, and I'm
obliged.' Done offered his hand, and the other shook it heartily. 'You
might tell me who and what this Solo is,' continued Jim.

'Smartest, coolest, most darin' gold-thief in Australia. Outlawed for
robbery under arms, wanted by all the police 'tween here and the Murray,
and his head's worth five hundred to you 'r me, 'r any yob that can rob
him of it. He works alone. What his right name is no one knows.'

'That's all a bright look-out for me!' laughed Jim. 'But if he's such an
infernal scoundrel, and he's robbed you among the rest, why come to his
rescue?'

''Pon my soul, I dunno I' replied the Australian, scratching his head
dubiously, ''less it's 'cause of his pluck 'n' the dashed pleasant,
gentlemanly way he has o' doin' things. By the way, what 're you out for?
Goin' diggin'? Got a mate? Where 're you makin'?'

'I'm going digging. I have no mate. I can't say what field I'm making for
till I know more about them.'