Volume Three—Chapter Seven.
Raffling Away a Wife.
Our claim on the Avoca “lead” turned out to be worth working; and we had five or six weeks of hard toil before us. My mate continued temperate and industrious; and we got along together without any misunderstanding.
One day we were informed by a man passing our tent, that a very interesting affair was to come off that evening—at a certain grog-shop not far from where we lived.
My partner was strongly advised to be there: as there would be a spectacle worth witnessing.
“Shall you go?” I asked, after the man had gone.
“No—not alone,” replied he, “the place has a bad name; and I know that one of the parties concerned in what is to take place is a bad bird. You go along with me, and you’ll see some amusement.”
“Have you any idea what it’s to be?” I inquired.
“Yes. I think they are going to have a raffle.”