"It is lucky we thought of hiding it, and leaving the rock in its place, Obed."
"That's so. The rock came in handy for once."
"Do you think there is any danger of another visit to-night?"
"No; he probably won't discover how he has been tricked till morning."
"And even if he does he may suppose that this rock is what we brought with us."
"Possibly. Still, Harry, I think we'd better keep awake and watch to-night. It will only be for one night, as to-morrow we can make arrangements to send the nugget by express to Melbourne."
"I thought we should be carrying it there ourselves."
"No, it would not be safe. To-morrow everybody will know that we have found a nugget, and if we attempted to carry it ourselves we should not get ten miles away without being attacked, and perhaps killed."
"Then we can send it by express?" queried Harry.
"Yes, I have inquired into this—not that I thought we would be lucky enough to need the information. The government escorts charge one per cent., and besides the Crown exacts a royalty of ten per cent."