"You have made my fortune," said he, "and I am going home with it to-morrow. It is not a large one; but it is all I require. I must now tell you what I intend to do with the money--as I believe that will be some reward to you, for your generosity in taking me into the claim. I have a father, who has been in prison for seven years for debt; and all for the paltry sum of a hundred and sixty pounds! Six years ago, I left home, and turned sailor, only that I might get my passage to some foreign land--where I might make the money to pay this debt, and take my father out of prison. I knew I could never raise it in England--where some of our governing people tell us we are so prosperous, and contented! One hundred and sixty pounds was a large sum, for a young fellow like me to get together. I knew I could never make it up, by following the sea; and I had begun to despair of ever doing so, until I got aboard of a ship in Cape Town bound for Melbourne. Of course I joined the ship, with the intention of escaping from her, when we should reach Melbourne. I need hardly tell you, that I succeeded. One night, as we were lying anchored in Hobson's Bay, off Williamston, I slipped into the water; and, by swimming more than a mile, I reached the shore. Soon after, I found my way to the Bendigo diggings. "While working out that claim on Eagle-Hawk Gully--of which I have told you--I was the happiest man on earth: but, when I discovered that my mates had absconded with my gold, I was driven nearly distracted. It was a cruel disappointment to a man, anxious to liberate an honest father from prison, as well as extricate a mother and two sisters from a situation of extreme misery. "Since then I have had no good luck--until you got me into this claim we have just completed. Thank God, I've got the money at last; and may He only grant that I shall live to reach old England with it, in time to relieve my suffering relatives. That is all I care for in this world; and if I can accomplish it, I shall be willing to die." At my request Oakes promised to write to me from Melbourne; and let me know in what ship he would sail. This promise was kept, for, the week after, I received a letter from him, informing me--that he had embarked in the ship "Kent," bound for London. I could not help offering up a silent prayer, that favouring winds would safely waft him to his native shore; and that his long-cherished hopes might meet with a happy realisation. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ END OF VOLUME TWO. Volume Three, Chapter I. AN ADVENTURE WITH A "BLACK FELLOW." Shortly after the departure of Oakes, I went to a little rush, on Slaty Creek, on the Creswick's Creek Gold-fields, about thirteen miles from Ballarat. I was accompanied by two others, with whom I had lately been working. Soon after arriving at the rush, we took possession of a claim; and proceeded to "prospect" it.