3
. . 186
XXIV. THE NUGGET IN DANGER, . . . . 194
XXV. THE MIDNIGHT ROBBERY, . . . . 202
XXVI. A THIEF'S EMBARRASSMENT, . . . 210
XXVII. BAFFLED CUPIDITY, . . . . . 219
XXVIII. THE NUGGET IN SAFETY, . . . . 227
XXIX. SELLING THE CLAIM, . . . . . 235
XXX. THE Two CONSPIRATORS, . . . . 244
XXXI. TAKEN CAPTIVE, . . . . . . 253
XXXII. OBED IN A TIGHT PLACE, . . . 262
XXXIII. THE TABLES ARE TURNED, . . . 271
XXXIV. FAREWELL TO MELBOURNE, . . . 279
XXXV. SOME OLD ACQUAINTANCES, . . . 288
XXXVI. A HEART-BROKEN RELATIVE, . . . 293
XXXVII. HOME AGAIN, . . . . . . . 300
XXXVIII. THE BOYS' SECURE POSITIONS, . . 307
XXXIX. CONCLUSION, . . . . . . . 314
CHAPTER I.
OLD FRIENDS IN MELBOURNE.
A stout gentleman of middle age and two boys were sitting in the public room of a modest inn in Melbourne. The gentleman was known to the public as Professor Hemmenway, who announced himself on the programme of his entertainment as "The Magician of Madagascar," though he freely confessed to his confidential friends that he had never seen the island of that name.
The two boys were Harry Vane and Jack Pendleton, American boys of sixteen. One had come to Australia as assistant to the professor, and had been accustomed to sing one or two popular songs at the magical entertainments which he gave, besides rendering himself generally useful. Jack Pendleton was a young sailor, who had resolved to try his fortune in the new country, either at the mines or in any other employment offering fair compensation, before resuming his profession. Harry and the professor had been passengers on board Jack's ship, and the two boys had struck up an enduring friendship. The ship had been wrecked, and they had spent some weeks together on an uninhabited island, from which they were finally rescued, as related in a preceding story, "Facing t