Tom Hungerford: A STORY OF THE EARLY DAYS OF THE OTAGO GOLDFIELDS.

Tuapeka Times, Volume V, Issue 257, 2 January 1873, Page 9

Tom Hungerford: A STORY OF THE EARLY DAYS OF THE OTAGO GOLDFIELDS.

By William Baldwin.

Chapter XVI. — o'Ha.ra to the Rescue. The period at which the story has now arrived is not far off Christmas, 1861. A month and more had elapsed since the taking place of that discussion as to the doing away with Tom Hungerford, but as yet nothing in the way of harm had befallen him. But though still unharmed, you must not therefore run away with the idea that the project had been given up. It had not been altered in any way — much less given up. The fact of the matter is no fitting opportunity had arisen to give effect to the project, and it had consequently kin iv abeyance all this time. Opportunities had indeed arisen, and these opportunities had all been faithfully reported to Burgess from time to time by the lynx eyed Levy, but on each occasion Burgess had seen some objection or another, and accordingly the matter had not been proceeded •with. From the beginning, we may remember, Burgess had recognized the danger of the undertaking. He had seen from the very beginning that it was an undertaking requiring much caution, and he had been most wary and c utious throughout in the matter. So he waited and waited all this time for a favorable opportunity, and now at last the favorable opportunity had come — as favorable a one — so he admitted to himself, as could be expected. There was a new rush to Waipori, and Tom had intimated his intention of riding over to put mutters to rights there. No sooner was the intimation made than Levy had got ear of it, and he was now in the very ae* of speaking of the matter to his confederates. "What time to-day, Phil, did the cove say as he was going to leave ?" asked Burgess when Levy had finished. '• ffe didn't say when he'd be aIsaving, but he said as how he'd be at this here new rush afore six. He is going to stay there to night, and is ro ruing back to-morrow." " He'll be there afc six, will he ?" <Vn he'll be passing by here about three?" *• between two and three." '• There won't be no trouble in getting hold of hiii), anyhow," added Burgesc. "We wants biro to look at our cLiim, and when he stops to talk to us about it, that ere part of the job can be easily done. But there is more to be done nor that. We must throw people off the scent, and I've been a thinking of how this here dodge would be a good blind." He paused for a second or two, and then continned. " People must think as how its drowned this here cove is ; and you must carry out that 'ere part; of the job, Phil. When Tommy and I brings him here, you take his horse and ride on, when it's late, to the river. Cross over where the river's deep, only near the or'nary crossing place, do you see, and break down the bank where you get out. Throw the bloke's hat into the river, and let the horse go. What da you think of sthat?" "It'll do," answered Levy, nodding his head approvingly. " Go on to Dekny's then, Phil, and tell that 'ere blasted cur as how we've our hand on this here Commissioner chap, and wants the rest of that money a-fore we squeezes him. We'll keep him till you comes back, then we'll do for him and bury him." These ruffians were camped near Waitabnna when we last saw them, but they were camped there now no longer. Since then they had been very busy. Since then Bui'gess and Kelly had been engaged in several robberies, and more than one stic-king-up case was laid at their doors by the police. The police asserted — and I believe asserted truly — that the two fellows were responsible for three-fourths- of the outrages that occurred about this time. Of conrse the police were very anxious to lay their hands on them .^botb, but the laying hands on them was by no means an easy matter. They kept well out of the way, and never remained long in the same place, and put into force those wiles and stratagems that, old game birds that they were, they had need of so frequently before. Just at this particular juncture, the fellows were camped in. a lonely gully on the Waipori ranges. Here, they naturally thought, they were safe from anything in the shape of prying curiosity, and so, no doubt, they would have been, but for one of those unlooked for occunenoes that, now and then, fall within the scope of our observation. It so happened that Detective Jones •was out -scouring the country in search of his horse, and whilst so occupied hia keen eye fell upon the tent. It is scarcely necessary to say Detective Jones was a suspicions man, and being so, that the moment bis eye fell upon this lonely tent pitched in this put-of-the-way-place, be suspected there was something about it that was nob altogether right, A t all events he re- j solved he would enquire into the matter and satisfy himself on the subject ; so &c dismounted and fastened his horse to a gully «loee by ; then dectectivp

fashion he proceeded in this satisfying of his cariosity, He got as close to the tent as he well could, and there he remained at full length on the ground motionless, for half an hour at least. "It's them; blowed if it ain't," he said at last ; " that's your game is it," he added, nodding bis head in the direction of the tent. " Ah ; " there was a smack of satisfaction in the way this last word escaped^him. This occurred between twelve and one o'clock in the day, and in a couple of hours after Tom Hungerford came cantering along on his way to Waipori. The Waipori truck passed about a mile or so from the tent, and as Tom came cantering along it, two diggers hailed 'him, " You're the Commissioner, ain't you ? " asked one of them. "Yes, I'm the Commissioner," assented Tom, "is there anything I can do for you." " We was just a-going over to see you, Misther," answered the man who kept his hat weil down over his face during the conversation, " me and my mate here have found very good prospects, and we was a-going over to see you about a prospecting claim." " How far is the place from here 1 " asked Tom. " Just down there." And the speaker nodded his head in the direction of a gully close by. " As. near as that, is it ? Then I may as well run down and see it. Will one of you hold my horse." The man who had just addressed Tom took hold of the rein, giving his companion a meaning look as he did so. Tom. was in the act of dismounting, and had just touched the ground when he was suddenly seized from behind by one of the men, who was none other than Kelly. He tried just for a moment or two to shake himself free from his assailant, but he found himself in a vice-like grasp from which there was no getting free. " Stop that ere game will you," said Burgess, savagely placing his revolver within a foot of Tom's head. "You just be quiet," he continued, " or, by G you'll be quiet enough before long. Come along quietly without any damned nonsense and no harm '11 happen to you, mate ; but, blow my eyes, if you don't you'd better just say your prayers at once," " What is it you want 1" said Tom, seeing there was nothing for it but to submit quietly. " We don't want to harm you, unless you drives us to it,' 1 answered Burgess, who was tying Tom's hands behind his back. " Now you can let him go, Tommy," he said to Kelly, " and just help him to get on his horse." Then they proceeded to the tent — Kelly leading the horse and Burgess walking alongside. Nothing, or next to nothing, passed between them alonsj the . way, Tom attempted once or twice to learn from the fellows what they meant to do with him, or where they were taking him ; but, beyond an assurance of no harm being meant him, he could obtain no information from them, and at last gave up the attempt as a bad job, relapsing into silence. Then they reached the tent, and Levy was despatched on bis errand, strict injunctions beiug given ; him as to his speedy return. Meantime Tom lay in the tent, watched over by one or the other of the two ruffians, thinking of his position ; and, as he did so, we can readily imagine his thoughts would be none of the pleasantest At first when he was stuck-up and was beiug^bpuncL he thought, naturally and as a matter oT~course, -that the fellows simply wanted to rob him of his money and jewellery. Then, as they brought him along bound, he thonghb the proceeding was an unusual one on the part of the bushrangers, as fdr aB his knowledge of bushranging went ; still he explained the matter to himself by supposing that they wished to get biro away from the track, so as to carry on their opeiutious unseen But what did they mean by thrusting hiui into this tent of theirs, and by allowing hiru to lie there hour after j hour without showing any signs of liberating him 1 Then here were these flax fastenings — how they did torture him to be sure; and he groaned inwardly in spirit as he tried to alleviate the sharpness of the torture by changing the position- of his hands. Kelly was sitting close by smoking his pipe. What a villanous scoundrel he looked Tom thought. He only wondered he did not notice him at first, him, and his mate, and give them a wider berth. But what did they- mean to do ? Murder him. No ; he didn't think it. They had no motive in murdering him, so he told himself, telling himself also that these kind of fellows never committed murder without some good motive. Bub what did they mean by keeping him bound so long? Did they mean to leave him bound hand and foot, helpless, and so have time to get off themselves into some place of safety 1 Why he should starve before he was discovered. How long would it probably be before he was discovered 1 Let him just think for a minute. He would be missed the following evening. Say the following day, Thursday, people would be out in search of him. It would be Saturday or Sunday before he could be discovered. This was Tuesday; Wednesday one, Thursday two, Fiiday three, Saturday four ; four days at least, and very likely five, before he wvjs discovered. He would, he determined within himself, make yet one effort lnore to extract

from these fellows something in the way of information as to what they meant to do with him, and accordingly addressed himself to Kelly, who was the only other occupant of the tent at the time. " Now that you have got all you can out of me, don't you think it is nearly time to put an end to this farce and Jet me go." Kelly looked at him soowlingly. " What the devil hurry is there for your going?" he asked. "What hurry is there?" repeated Tom. " You don't think it's a pleasant place to stay in, do you? It isn't likely a fellow cares to be kept here against his will a minute longer than he can help,- and tied up too in this way." " There are worse places than this, mate," answered the fellow significantly. " And the less you says the better, do you see," he added as Tom was about to answer. " Many sich cautions you have given to others, as beaks always do, damn 'em; just you take it to yourself this time." « But " began Tom, " Shut up, blast you, will you*" interrupted Kelly, savagely, "or it '11 be the worse for you. Blow me if I don't gag you if you says another word." The fellow was in earnest, thoroughly lin earnest, Tom could see that at a glance ; could see also that any attempt at the extraction of this information he so longed to get at was useless, worse than useless in fact, and so he wisely gave up the attempt, remaining silent during the remainder of the night. The two ruffians manifested signs of great impatieuce as the night wore on without bringing them any tidings of Levy. They were constantly going outside to listen, now one and now the other, returning again with lowering brows, and calling down fearful anathemas on their confederate's head. At last Tom's legs were secured as well as his hands, and he was left helpless as the two fellows went outside together, and remained without for 20 minutes at least, engaged in earnest conversation. He could hear them conversingtogether at some little distance off — could hear them, but fortunately could gather nothing of the meaning of their conversaiion. Fortunately, I say, seeing that the subiect of the conversation was nothing more nor less than his own death. Kelly was for putting him to death that night — for doing so there and then, arguing that it was better to f»et the matter over and have done with it at once; Bur«jess to some extent agreed with his companion ; but on the whole, and all thin»s considered, deemed ib advisable to wait Levy's return before committing the deed. "No Tommy," he said ; " I think weM better let it alone till morning, till Phil comes baok. We couldn't bury him anyhow till morning, and its just all well to squeeze him and bury him at the same time." Then they both retired to rest for the ni<*ht. And the villains, though they were steeped in crime and evil in their lives, slept soundly enough after retiring — sounder, than many a man just and honest in his ways in the si^ht of God and the world. Tom could tell this from the regularity of their breathing. Poor Tom ; assuredly he was to be pitied, as he lay there during the long watches of the night wideawake, within reach of tl.O'ie two fellow's, hands,, thinking to himself of the hardness of the fate that had thrown him into these men's power, and undergoing, as we may imagine,, much agony of spirit, and no small amount of bodily suffering. At last he too, slept, but slept for a short time only — a few minutes, not more. He had not been above five- minuses asleep when,, in the grey dawn of the early morning, two figures came creeping along towards the tent. Carefully, cautiously, noiselessly, they crept tip to it ; the foremost undid the fastening, peeped in, noting accaratelv the position inside ; then he thrust in his head, tben hit* body. He was a brave man this, if ever there was one — brave, and powerful, and athletic ; but witb all his bravery and his strength, his heart bpfit fast and loud that momeut. and his breafch came and went with painful distinctness. And no wonder that it should be so ; no wonder, seeing that he knew full well how reckless an,d desperate were the men he had to deal with, knew fall well that his life was staked on the issue. A false move on his pa^t meant his death, so he told himself ;. his own death, and that of his companion also. The men were asleep, so far everything was right. One slight movement more, and he was far enough in. Then he rose to his feat with a sudden bound, a -revolver in each hand held within a foot of the two villains' beads. "If you move hand or foot v by the living Grod I'll blow your brains out, I will, by " roared Sergeant- Major O'Hara. They were daring and reckless, but they were taken by surprise. Could they but have reached those weapons of theirs under their heads, they would have shot him — shot him, aye, though the whole police force' of Ota go were around'the tent. But any attempt at reachinngthem would have been their ! death knell. But even so, even though it were their death knell, I am inclined to think the attempt would nevertheless have been made, had it been possible to make it. But before they knew where they were, Detective Jones had put anything of the kind out of the fellows' power. Detective Jones had played his part in the matter, and played it well, too. Ab the Sergeant-Major atood over |$ur,

gess and Kelly, Jones had crept in a the back of the tent, and, putting vi his hands, had snatched their weapons from underneath their heads. After that, their capture was an easy matter. It was a plucky capture; wo must admit — one that did much to put a stop to bushranging in Otago, and saved Tom Hungerford's life.