"Jim Pizey and the Tenderhearted Oysterman was two on 'em. I kiss the Bible, and I ses, I heerd the Tenderhearted Oysterman say as how he murdered a man--a Welshman--on the diggins', and as how he stole Dick Handfield's knife to kill him with, so that it'd look as if Dick had done it instead of him; and I kisses the Bible agin, and I ses as how all the gang knows it was the Tenderhearted Oysterman who done the murder, and not Dick Handfield."
"You heard the man you call the Tenderhearted Oysterman confess to the murder?"
"I heerd him say he done it himself, with Dick Handfield's knife. I kisses the Bible on it. You've got all that down?"
"It is all written, my lad!" said Matthew Nuttall, gravely.
"And I furthermore ses as how Jim Pizey and the Oysterman wanted Dick Handfield, when they was in Melbourne, to join them in robbin' Highlay Station--Everthin's goin' away! hold me up! Don't let me die till I'm done! The sky's a-comin' down upon me!"
The brandy was put to his lips, and he revived again; but the words now came very slowly from him.
"Where was I?" he asked.
"They wanted Dick Handfield to join them in robbing Highlay Station."
"Yes, that's it," said Grif, his voice falling to a whisper. "And as how Dick Handfield wouldn't. And as how they wanted to throw the murder on him, out of revenge."
"Have you finished?" asked Matthew Nuttall, as the boy paused.