Nat Gould

“ The skipper might be a rough man, unpolished, but his heart was in the right place, his nerves true as steel, and the desire to do his duty strong within him. Such men as these, Jack thought, have made England the nation she is, and raised her merchant vessels and ocean steamers to the highest pitch. Ashore Captain Seagrave might cause smiles to cross the faces of men who were as mere pigmies compared to him now. ”

“ During the next two or three days Jack Redland gave them an account of his varied experiences, and found attentive listeners. He handed the famous black pearl to Winifred, who was delighted with its dark beauty.
"It must be very valuable," she said.
"Worth a few thousands," said Jack, carelessly.
"He talks about thousands much in the same way as we ordinary mortals do about pounds," said Sir Lester, laughing. "How delightful it must be to be a millionaire."
"I am not that," laughed Jack, "far from it; but as we say in the Colonies, I have made a fair pile, thanks to Barry Tuxford." ”

“ What if this pearling venture turned out a failure? It was merely a start, the first step on the voyage to wealth and Winifred. If it was not a success he would lose nothing, except time, and that was precious; he could not ask her to wait too long, he had not asked her at all, at least not in words. He must hustle, as an American friend told him, if he meant to get ahead of his fellow men. He smiled as he thought it would be a difficult job to make Phil Danks hustle, the skipper of the "Heron" was a man who made time his slave, not his master, and he looked contented on it. ”

“ I have just heard Black Boy won the Sydney Cup, and you cannot think how delighted I am. For a middle aged man I acted in a most absurd way. I danced around the camp like a wild man, and my pals thought the heat had affected my brain. When I explained what had occurred they understood, they are all good sports. What a triumph, Jack, and what an awful scoundrel Abe Moss must be. I don't know how my horse ran, and don't much care, now you won. If Joel Kenley thinks Lucky Boy will win a race let him keep him in training, if not, sell him for what he will bring. ”

“ Every year, men who have succeeded in life, leave the land in which they have toiled, to come home to that small spot so blessed amongst the nations of the earth. They give of their best to other lands, but take toll in return, and then when the time comes, and Fortune's smiles are at their best they turn to home, to England, which every son of her soil regards with a veneration too deep for words.
Jack Redland felt something of this as the "Falcon" steamed on her way. ”

“ Kylis saw him coming, and prepared for a row, he knew Amos feared him more than any other man, but possession of the black pearl was much in his favour; he said to himself he would smash it sooner than let Amos have it for a mere trifle.
"The schooner has gone," said Amos. "They have not discovered the loss of the pearl."
"They may put back when they do," replied Kylis.
"No fear of that, they are not certain we have it."
"They can form a good idea," said Miah. ”

“ Jack, Harry and Phil Danks got into a boat and were pulled to the beach. A big powerful man came down to meet them, his looks were not friendly, and he seemed to be the boss of the others, who stood some distance away.
"He's Amos Hooker," said Danks, "and we must try and work our cards with him, he rules the roost here."
"It's you, Phil Danks, is it?" said Hooker, "and I see you've got company with you. There's not much for you to find here, and what little there is by rights belongs to us. We live here, and I'm damned if it's fair for you fellows to come and poach on our fishery." ”

“ Abe Moss put the question straight to Jack.
"Where's Barry Tuxford?" he asked. "You may as well tell me, I am sure to find out in time."
"Then you can wait for that time," said Jack, "for you will gain no information from me."
"Precious clever you think yourselves, no doubt," growled Abe. "Did he tell you before he left that I was to be 'in the know' when your horses were having a try?"
"Our horses always try, no matter what yours may do," replied Jack.
Abe Moss laughed as he said—
"Oh, yes, we all know that. You are perfect saints in Western Australia, too good for this earth. ”

“ Sir Lester loved the sport alone, and seldom put much money on his horses. His string was trained at Lewes, on the famous Downs, and Jack Redland had ridden more than one winner in the familiar black jacket with orange sleeves.
His love of country life was a sufficient inducement for him to remain at The Downs for the greater part of the year, and Winifred was his constant companion in his rides and walks. She rode well, and like her father, preferred the Sussex hills and downs to the fascinations of London life. ”

“ Jack gasped, "Richer than the Great Tom. Impossible!" he exclaimed.
"All things are possible in gold hunting," said Barry. "I shouldn't wonder if there was a nugget as big as a horse's head, only no one has had the luck to find it yet. It means hundreds of thousands of pounds, my young friend, it means that we are going to scoop the pool, and that we are not going to lose our heads, or go frantic, or howl out to the multitude how clever we are, and that other men are mere fools to us. ”

“ The skipper turned an admiring glance on him.
"You don't look much like a jockey," he replied.
"I am a gentleman rider. If you care to go down to Lewes the week before we sail you will see me win a race, I hope."
"Lewes!" exclaimed Seagrave, "that's funny, bless my soul, it's funny. I was born there, in that glorious town I first saw daylight, or gas-light."
"Well, this beats all," said Harry Marton, "it is a day of surprises."
"A fellow must be born somewhere," said the skipper, in an apologetic tone, at which they both laughed.
"Have you been there lately?" asked Jack.
"Not this trip. ”

“ The man laughed, as he replied—
"The robbery is on the wrong side this time, you are the victim."
Amos Hooker showered curses upon him as the boat put off for the schooner, with the precious pearl in the man's keeping.
Kylis came down to him, and Amos said—
"I have sold the pearl, here is the money," and he jangled the bag.
"How much?"
"One hundred pounds."
"You are a fool," said the black, savagely. "It is worth many hundreds."
"Which I could not get."
"We must have our share." ”

“ Sir Lester glanced at his daughter. She was silent, and there was a troubled look in her face. "She does not care to lose her old playmate," he thought.
"They say the man who fails at home will fail anywhere," he replied.
Jack looked disappointed, but replied—
"I do not think that is correct. In a new country one naturally leads a new life, and it need not necessarily be a failure. What do you think, Winifred?"
"I do not think you have been a failure here. True, you have not yet succeeded in settling down to some useful occupation, but the time will come when that will happen. ”

“ I assure you, Jack, I have tramped the city until I am sick of the whole thing. Nothing but refusals, even from men I knew when in my father's office. I wonder why parents are so anxious to bring up their children to respectable starvation. I have seen scores of good fellows dining off a piece of bread and a cup of tea, when a square meal would have been a Godsend to them. ”

“ I have had nothing but good fortune since I met you. My first pearling venture turned out a frost. You come along, and what do we get? We not only rummage out old Jacob Rank on his desert island, or whatever it may be, and rescue him, but we find a heap of pearls, a mighty lot of good shells, the best black pearl ever hauled out on the northern coast, and to cap all, we have a deal with that old shark, Silas Filey, that licks creation. Don't talk to me about luck, you're a regular living mascot, that's what you are."
The tension was relieved at this outburst, and Jack laughed heartily. ”

“ A black man in possession of such a pearl would be an object of suspicion, he knew that well enough. If he got a fair sum from Amos, and handed the pearl over to him there would not be much danger to himself; it would not be found in his possession if search was made for it, and at the same time the knowledge that Amos Hooker had it would give him a hold over the man.
Miah stared at it in surprise, aghast at Kylis's cleverness, for he had no idea the pearl had been stolen. He was glad no harm had been done to Jack Redland. ”

“ Smith savagely spurred Random, venting his spite on the horse for a fault that was entirely his own. The severity of the punishment caused Random to almost leap forward, and for a second or two he seemed likely to pass Lucky Boy. It was a vain hope on the part of his backers, for when the winning post was passed Lucky Boy had a couple of lengths to the good.
It was a miserable fiasco, this was the universal opinion. An odds on favourite that ought to have won by half-a-dozen lengths was beaten by a miserable outsider. ”

“ CHAPTER FOURTEENTH THE BLACK PEARL
Jack Redland was on the deck of the "Heron" opening shells. He was alone, the others had left him to finish the work, and gone off in the dinghies. He saw them in the distance, and watched the divers disappearing into the depths of the bay. Resting for a few minutes his eyes roamed over the beautiful scene spread out around him. In this land locked harbour everything seemed at peace, undisturbed by the dwellings of men, as it probably had been for ages upon ages. ”

“ I have not starved here, but living on turtle, birds, and eggs, is a bit too much for me. I'd give anything for a decent bit of bread and something to wash it down," said Rank.
"Of course," quickly replied Jack. "Here we are standing talking and never thinking about you. Come along, we will row back at once."
Jacob eagerly got into the boat, and when he put his foot on board the "Heron" he gave a sigh of relief.
"To a man who has been stranded for weeks you have no idea how it feels to find yourself on a decent craft again. I have no ambition to be a second Crusoe." ”

“ The Lewes folk were very proud of you when you stood by the 'Northern Star' and rescued all her crew, at the risk of losing your ship and everyone in it. You see we did not forget you were born here, and I assure you we thought a lot of your bravery."
"I should have been a coward to leave them in the lurch; it was risky, but it's no more than one seaman ought to do for another," replied Seagrave.
"Men do not always act as you did, and I maintain you deserved a lot more credit than you received for that job."
"Seamen often risk their lives to save others, and no one hears anything about it. ”

“ Jack saw his friend was hungry, and ordered a substantial meal, which he was glad he had cash enough to pay for.
"I have not had such a good feed for many a long day," said Harry Marton with a sigh of regret that luncheon was at last over.
"It has been as bad as that?" said Jack.
"Yes, and occasionally I have had to starve for twelve hours. There is no man I have more pity for than the clerk out of work. He has to look respectable, or there is no chance of obtaining a situation; and when he gets work, his pay is miserably small. ”

“ Marton is quite right," said Barry. "You cannot go on sharing all through your lives; it is absurd."
"If I make a pile, Harry, you must agree to accept something from me," said Jack.
"If my luck is out I will; but if I make sufficient for my wants, no," replied Harry.
In the course of the week Barry Tuxford took Jack out to the stables, where his horses were kept, and he had a spin on Lucky Boy, a four-year-old bay, a great favourite of Barry's. ”

“ I am a light sleeper, and the slightest touch would rouse me."
"We'll go and see what Phil has to say about it," said Jacob.
The skipper of the "Heron" was dozing on his bunk when they roused him.
"What do you want?" he growled. "Cannot you let a fellow have a decent night's rest?"
"You'll not rest much when you hear what has happened," said Jacob.
"Then keep the news till morning," replied Phil.
"It is not the sort of news to keep. We must act at once. Sit up and listen. The black pearl has been stolen." ”

“ He had not much faith in amateur riders, especially new chums, but he soon saw Jack Redland was a good way beyond the average. Lucky Boy, he thought, had never gone so well before, and this was the opinion of Willie, when he dismounted, and the black boy looked at Jack admiringly.
Barry Tuxford was immensely pleased. He had no idea Jack could ride so well, and he thought Captain Seagrave was right when he said he was too good for pearl fishing.
"It does a fellow good to get on the back of a decent horse again," said Jack, as he patted Lucky Boy's neck. ”

“ Then he sought out Jack Redland and shook his arm with tremendous force.
"Seventy pounds. That's what I have won. Only think of it. My lad, we'll live in clover this trip, I tell you. Where's the horse, let me have a look at him."
"There he is," replied Jack, highly amused. "Mind he does not shiver your timbers with his heels, he has a nasty habit of lashing out."
Captain Seagrave patted the horse, and gazed at him admiringly, he thought Topsy Turvy the most beautiful creature he had ever seen; had he lost probably his interest in the animal would have diminished considerably. ”

“ A real pal was Jake Morley, but as I said before, weak; and a perfect fool when the 'hell fire' they served out in the grog shanties was in him. What poison it was, brewed in the Devil's own vat, I should say, and it sent men wild and burned up both body and brains, when they had any. When Jake went I was lonely. He was as tender as a woman to me. I got sick, down with the fever, and there was precious little for us in camp, and what there was did more harm than good. Men fought and robbed, aye, and killed, too, for food in those days, and a man's life was not worth as much as a horse's. ”

“ He rode into the weighing enclosure and dismounted, Sir Lester and Winifred congratulating him on the result.
"It was a close shave," he said, as he came out of the weighing-room, with the saddle on his arm, "closer than anyone imagines. I had to ride my hardest to beat Bibury, he is a good horse. It was the dip at the finish did it, Topsy Turvy has more stamina than the other one."
"At any rate you won, and rode a capital race. Will you take that jacket out with you, it may come in useful, bring you good luck," said Sir Lester.
"It will be a delightful souvenir," said Jack. ”

“ What we fear most is a dead calm, it kills the horses off quickly, and sometimes we run short of water. The sharks have a great feast when the poor brutes are heaved overboard."
"I should not like that job," said Jack.
"No, I don't suppose you would, and it is not to my taste, but there's a lot of money in it if you have a successful trip and that is what most of us are after."
"Quite right," said Jack. "It is what I am after at all events, and I want you to help me."
"I'll do all I can, but there's a heap of luck attached to pearl fishing," was the reply. ”

“ This was true enough, for the morning after they arrived at Fremantle he came on board. He recognised Harry Marton at once, and cast a sharp glance at Jack when he was introduced.
"They'll do, I fancy," he said to Job Seagrave, who stood by watching him with some amusement. He knew Barry's way of reckoning up people, and making up his mind on the spot.
"Yes, they'll do; mind they are not too good for you. They are clever, very clever, and far better than most of the men you get out here." ”

“ They laughed, and Harry Marton said—
"I thought as much; anyway, it matters little where Shark's Bay is. I have no doubt I shall eventually be landed, or stranded, there."
"I thought pearl fishing was about worked out in Australia," said Jack.
"It cannot be, or Barry Tuxford would not have a hand in it. He's far too cute to tackle anything that is worked out, or likely to be, while he is in it." ”

“ CHAPTER THIRD A SCHOOL CHUM
"Going abroad!" exclaimed Caleb Kenley, "what the deuce has put that into your head?"
"I have been a dire failure here; perhaps elsewhere I shall turn out a success."
"You have not been a failure; there are very few better riders in England than yourself. Do not be offended at my question. Are you short of money? Is that the reason?"
"The principal reason, and a very good one. I have always been short of money."
"Why not ride as a professional jockey? You would find plenty of employment and make a heap of money." ”

“ At last Barry Tuxford returned to Perth, and after a hearty greeting between them Jack saw he was much altered and that he had suffered a good deal in health. He was not the same lively Barry Tuxford who had left him in Sydney, and Jack was troubled.
"You are ill, Barry," he said, anxiously. "You have overworked yourself, you must rest and have a doctor to see you at once." ”

“ The silvery sand was soon covered with turned turtle, about fifty of them being at the mercy of their captors.
"What are we to do with the beggars?" asked Jack. "We cannot take the lot on board, it would swamp the boats."
"We will take as many as we require, and turn the remainder over again, if they are left on their backs, they will never get on their feet again, and will rot in the sun. Hundreds of them are destroyed in this way by natives and divers who seem to do it out of pure devilment."
"What a shame," said Harry Marton. ”