The two "swipers," as they were called, soon after made their appearance; and, as they drew near, I could perceive that another recognition had taken place. On seeing the new partner, both turned sharp round; and then started off, at a brisk pace, in the opposite direction! For a moment Oakes appeared surprised--as if uncertain what to make of it. All at once, however, his comprehension became clearer; and, calling to me to follow him, he set off in pursuit of the fugitives. The two had diverged from each other in their flight; and, as they had already got a good start of us, both were successful in making their escape. When Oakes and I came together again, he informed me, that the men were his old mates, who had robbed him on the Bendigo diggings! We repaired to the police encampment; and, after procuring a force, proceeded to the tent of the runaways. As a matter of course, we found that the birds had flown; and could not be discovered anywhere upon the diggings. We were no more troubled with them, as "sleeping partners" in the claim. Volume Two, Chapter XXXIII. A FRIGHTFUL NUGGET. When Oakes and I got back from our search after the thieves, we discovered that still another defection had taken place in the firm. During the interval of our absence, Mr John Darby had sold his share, to a person, who had the appearance of having work in him, after which that talkative gentleman had quietly slipped away from the spot. I had noticed that he had not seemed highly delighted with the idea of my friend Oakes coming into the company; and I presumed that this was the cause of his sudden desertion of us. On making my conjecture known to Oakes, I received from him the following explanation: "I knew Darby," said Oakes, "when he first arrived in the colonies. He had come over here, as many others do, under the belief that hard work was degrading to a gentleman, such as he loudly proclaimed himself to be. Suffering under this affliction, he would not condescend to become a miner, but obtained a situation in the government camp at Bendigo. "One day I had the misfortune to pass an hour in his company--during which he seemed struck with a fit of temporary sensibility, and declared his intention to take to gold-digging. "Toiling to get gold," said he, "is manual labour, I admit; still it is not degrading to a man of fine sensibilities. I'm told that there are men of all the learned professions engaged in mining; and that a celebrated author is now a gold-digger at the Ovens. Gold-diggers have no masters; and I have even heard, that they affect to despise us government people at the camp." I afterwards ascertained that Mr Darby had been dismissed from the government employment, just before making these remarks; and to this cause, no doubt, might be assigned the change, that had taken place in his views regarding "labour."