Murden laughed when he spoke of the treasure, and we almost feared that he suspected us of keeping the secret from him.

“But where did you meet the stockman?” we asked.

“I am coming to the point of my narrative.  We halted barely long enough to water the animals, and get something to eat—­in the latter, let me assure you, the woman was pleased to lend her aid, and supplied us with meat enough to feed a regiment; and when I told her that we did not need so much, she begged that we would take what we did not want to her father and Mr. Smith.”

“To whom?” we asked, astonished.

“To Mr. Smith,” replied Murden, gravely.

“Ho, ho, Smith!” we cried, “you have, it seems, been making a conquest, and now, for the first time, we are to hear of it.”

“I assure you,” stammered Smith, “I had no idea that—­”

“How long has it been going on, Smith?” we cried.

“There is nothing in it, I assure you; I never said much to her, any way, and what few compliments I have paid her, are in fact—­”

“Intended to mean nothing.  Very well, Mr. Smith, I shall take care to put the lady on her guard, the next time I see her,” said Murden, pretending to be serious.

“No, don’t do that,” cried Smith in alarm, “because I don’t know but I shall marry her, yet.”

“Ah, if that is the case, I’ll not interfere on any account.  But remember, I’m to be asked to the wedding.”

“I’ll not forget,” Smith said; and after that affair was satisfactorily concluded, Murden went on with his story.

“I accepted of her offering, and agreed to convey a portion of a baked lamb to her friend Mr. Smith, and I am bound to say that neither of you gentlemen was mentioned in connection with the affair.  It was near dark, when we replaced our saddles upon our animals, and started across the prairie, but before we were half way to the woods, the last glimmer of twilight had faded out, and we were obliged to continue our journey by guess work, for no beaten trail leads across the plain.

“When we were within a mile or two of the secret path, I saw an object that looked to me like a kangaroo, on the prairie, so swiftly did it run.  Not feeling perfectly convinced that such was the case, I called my men’s attention to it, and one, who has sharper eyes than the rest of us, declared that what I took to be an animal, was a good-sized man, who appeared to be making the best of his way across the plain.

“I started in pursuit, and called once or twice to him to stop, but not until I had nearly rode him down, did he come to a stand still, and to my surprise, I found that I had come very near ending the days of the old stockman.

“A few questions and a few answers were all that I required to understand the case.  I instantly mounted the old fellow behind one of my men, and at a gallop I dashed towards the woods, which I had no sooner gained, than I sent three of my men back to the hut with the horses, and ordered them not to come near us until after sunrise in the morning.