Page 168 - In A New World

"Not much, but I don't mind sayin' that I should feel uncommon blue."

Two days elapsed before Obed and his party started on their return trip.
Meanwhile Colson and Ropes had disappeared. The boys had expected to

see them about the camp, but they had vanished.

"I wonder what has become of them?" said Harry, just as they were

starting.

"I reckon they're hatchin' some new mischief, wherever they are," returned
Obed composedly. "You maybe sure they're not engaged in any honest
work."

"Perhaps Colson is trying to sell his nugget," suggested Jack with a smile.

"He's welcome to all he can get for it," said Obed.

Obed was very near the truth in his conjecture. Their greed was excited by
thoughts of the nugget which our three friends had discovered, and their

brains were busied with plans for obtaining possession of it. The chances
didn't seem very encouraging. It was under strong escort, and it would be
sheer madness for the two to attack an armed party. It would require a

much larger force than they could command to make an attack at all
practicable.

With no special plans, but with the hope that something would turn up in
their favor, the two men started for Melbourne in advance of the

government party. They were indebted for the requisite funds to a
successful theft by Colson, who was an expert in his line. It is unnecessary

to chronicle their daily progress. We will look in upon them on the fourth
day.

They were making toilsome progress, over the boggy road, when all at once
they were confronted by three bushrangers headed by Fletcher.