’I am really very grateful to you for—­for going away, because I know you had good cause for your anger.’

Oh, that’s all right,’ said Harry again, inaptly.

’But you ought not to be angry with me.  It pained me very much—­the trial and your mother’s sorrow, and all the rest.  It hurt me because it seemed to set me on the side that was against Mrs. Hardy, and I—­I always admired her.  I knew she was a good woman, and it was easy to see the trouble cut into her heart although she bore it so proudly.’

‘Oh, that’s all right.’  Harry was fumbling with the gravel in the hopper.  He was conscious that his replies were foolish and trivial, but for the life of him he could do no better.

She waited a few moments, then bade him good morning and went across the creek and away amongst the trees beyond; and Harry, resting upon the handle of his cradle, watched her, absorbed, a prey to a set of new emotions that bewildered him hopelessly.  He was still in this position when Chris looked back from the hill, and half an hour later Dick Haddon found him day-dreaming amongst the tailings.

Day-dreams were not possible in the vicinity of Richard Haddon.  The boy was an ardent fossicker, and loved to be burrowing amongst old tailings, or groping in the sludge of an auriferous creek after little patches.  He was soon peering into the ripples of Harry’s cradle.

‘Poor,’ he commented, with the confidence of an expert.

‘Not up to much, Dick,’ said Harry.  ‘I’ve just been prospectin’ a bit round here.’

‘Frank was tryin’ that bank.  ’Tain’t no good.  Say, I can lay you onter somethin’ better not far from here.’

‘Yes—­where is it?’

’Tellin’s.  What’ll you give us?

‘Depends.  What’s it worth?’

’Got half a pennyweight prospect there onst.  Look here, you lend me yer dog t’-night, an’ I’ll show where.’

‘What do you want with Cop?’

‘You won’t split?  Well, some coves down to Cow Flat come up an’ stole my goat, Butts, an’ a lot of others, an’ me an’ some other fellers is goin’ after ’em t’-night, late.  A good sheep-dog what’s a quiet worker ’d be spiffin.  Cop’s all right.  He’d work fer me.’

Harry had not forgotten the time when a lordly billy was the pride and joy of his own heart, and his sympathies were with Dick; so Cop accompanied the band of youthful raiders that assembled with much mystery in the vicinity of the schoolhouse late that night.  The desperadoes had stolen from their beds while their parents slept, and were ripe for adventure.  Dick, who had Cop in charge, put himself at the head of the rising with his customary assurance, and gave his orders in a low, stern voice.  According to his authorities, a low, stern voice was proper to the command of all such midnight enterprises.

But before starting for Cow Flat it was necessary to forage for ammunition.  Two or three of the boys were provided with bags.  It was proposed to fill these with such vegetables as would serve to allure the coy but gluttonous goat, and a silent, systematic descent was made upon several kitchen gardens of Waddy.