ound our pack
where we had left it, but Mr. Brown's quick eye detected a change in its
appearance.

"Some one has overhauled our stores during the night," he said, "and
hang me if the scamp has not drank all my liquor."

He held up his flask to confirm his words. It was empty, but I pretended
that he must have drank it himself by mistake.

"Don't tell me that I don't know when good liquor is running down my
throat, and that I used all I brought in one day. Haven't I been
unusually careful, and drank from your flask two or three times, so that
mine would hold out for the trip? Whoever the thief is, and I hope to
see him some day, he deserves a halter."

An examination showed that every article that was in the pack had been
taken out and then replaced carefully, but we missed the largest portion
of our coffee and sugar, and over two thirds of our tobacco. If the
robber had been a malicious one he could easily have carried off all
that we possessed, but as he did not I was disposed to pardon him. Not
so with Mr. Brown, however. He vowed vengeance, and was only appeased
when I gave him a drink from my flask, which I luckily had carried with
me the night before, to be used in case of snake bite.

I had but little doubt that the mysterious robber was the same person
whom we had seen the day before, and I could readily believe that he was
laughing at our dismay, at no great distance, and watching our movements
with some curiosity. I regretted that I had not brought Rover with me,
for he would have been worth a dozen sentinels in the night time, but
owing to Fred's strong solicitations I had left him at the store in
Ballarat. There was no help for us now, and we determined to put as good
a face on the matter as possible, to husband our resources, and go on a
short allowance of the two great staples in a campaign--rum and tobacco.

We passed the day by visiting the island and sleeping by turns. Towards
night we carried our tools to the place where we expected to dig for the
gold, and starting before sundown rode our animals to the river and
watered them, so that they would not break away from their stakes during
the night for the purpose of slaking their thirst. Then we waited
impatiently for darkness for the purpose of once more changing our
camping ground, and this time we left nothing behind. Our quarters were
fixed at a short distance from the island, so that when the moon was up
we could keep our eyes on the horses, y