We fixed up to start on the Monday, and get as far away the first couple of days as we could manage. We expected to get a good start by making a great push the first day or two, and, as the police would be thrown off the scent in a way we settled—and a good dodge it was—we should have all the more time to be clear of New South Wales before they regularly dropped that we were giving them leg bail for it.
The Sunday before Starlight started away by himself, taking a couple of good horses with him—one he led, and a spare saddle too. He took nothing but his revolver, and didn’t say where he was going, but I pretty well guessed to say goodbye to Aileen. Just as he started he looked back and says—
“I’m going for a longish ride today, Dick, but I shall be here late if I’m back at all. If anything happens to me my share of what there is I give to her, if she will take it. If not, do the best you can with it for her benefit.”
He didn’t take Warrigal with him, which I was sorry for, as the half-caste and I didn’t hit it well together, and when we were by ourselves he generally managed to do or say something he knew I didn’t like. I kept my hands off him on account of Starlight, but there was many a time my fingers itched to be at him, and I could hardly keep from knocking some of the sulkiness out of him. This day, somehow, I was not in the best of tempers myself. I had a good lot on my mind. Starting away seems always a troublesome, bothering sort of thing, and if a man’s at all inclined to be cranky it’ll come out then.
Next day we were going to start on a long voyage, in a manner of speaking, and whether we should have a fair wind or the vessel of our fortune would be wrecked and we go down with it no one could say. This is how it happened. One of the horses was bad to catch, and took a little trouble in the yard. Most times Warrigal was quiet enough with ’em, but when he got regular into a rage he’d skin a horse alive, I really believe. Anyhow, he began to hammer the colt with a roping-pole, and as the yard was that high that no beast could jump it he had him at his mercy. I wouldn’t have minded a lick or two, but he went on and on, nearly knocking the poor brute down every time, till I could stand it no longer, and told him to drop it.
He gave me some saucy answer, until at last I told him I’d make him. He dared me, and I rushed at him. I believe he’d have killed me that minute if he’d had the chance, and he made a deuced good offer at it.
He stuck to his roping-stick—a good, heavy-ended gum sapling, six or seven feet long—and as I came at him he struck at my head with such vengeance that, if it had caught me fair, I should never have kicked. I made a spring to one side, and it hit me a crack on the shoulder that wasn’t a good thing in itself. I was in at him before he could raise his hands, and let him have it right and left.
Down he went and the stick atop of him. He was up again like a wild cat, and at me hammer and tongs—but he hadn’t the weight, though he was quick and smart with his hands. I drew off and knocked him clean off his pins. Then he saw it wasn’t good enough, and gave it best.
“Never mind, Dick Marston,” says he, as he walked off; and he fixed his eyes on me that savage and deadly-looking, with the blood running down his face, that I couldn’t help shivering a bit, “you’ll pay for this. I owe it you and Jim, one a piece.”
“Confound you,” I said, “it’s all your own fault. Why couldn’t you stop ill-using the horse? You don’t like being hit yourself. How do you think he likes it?”
“What business that of yours?” he said. “You mind your work and I’ll mind mine. This is the worst day’s work you’ve done this year, and so I tell you.”
He went away to his gunyah then, and except doing one or two things for Starlight would not lift his hand for anyone that day.
I was sorry for it when I came to think. I daresay I might have got him round with a little patience and humbugging. It’s always a mistake to lose your temper and make enemies; there’s no knowing what harm they may do ye. People like us oughtn’t to throw away a chance, even with a chap like Warrigal. Besides, I knew it would vex Starlight, and for his sake I would have given a trifle it hadn’t happened. However, I didn’t see how Warrigal could do me or Jim any harm without hurting him, and I knew he’d have cut off his hand rather than any harm should come to Starlight that he could help.
So I got ready. Dad and I had our tea together pretty comfortable, and had a longish talk. The old man was rather down in the mouth for him. He said he somehow didn’t expect the fakement to turn out well. “You’re going away,” he said, “from where you’re safe, and there’s a many things goes against a man in our line, once he’s away from his own beat. You never know how you may be given away. The Captain’s all right here, when he’s me to look after
