The victory of Black Boy was not very well received, although no blame was attached to either owner or trainer. The horse's previous running showed he had very little chance of carrying off such a race as the Sydney Cup.  
Jack¹ Redland won a large sum, and half of this was to go to Barry Tuxford. Job Seagrave landed a couple of hundred pounds, and was jubilant.
 
The stewards² could not let the previous running of Black Boy pass unchallenged, and called Abe Moss³ before them to give an explanation of the horse's performances during the time he owned him. Abe made some blundering excuses, which only half satisfied the stewards, and wound up by saying he had backed Lucky Boy in the Cup, as he did not consider the winner good enough. This was perfectly⁴ correct, and probably thinking he had been sufficiently⁵ punished by losing his money, the stewards gave him a severe caution, and warned him to be careful how he acted in the future.
 
Jack was naturally anxious to hear from Barry Tuxford, but there was nothing for it but to wait patiently until he communicated with him.
 
He lost no time in paying a visit to the "Falcon⁶" and renewing his acquaintance with his old friends of the "Golden Land." Sam Slack and Rufus Macdonald gave him a hearty⁷ welcome, and the latter said the skipper was a "canny⁸ mon" to land the "Falcon" in port in time to back Black Boy in the Cup. "It's a pity we were not there," he said.
 
Jack dined with them on board, and they spent several merry evenings together, until the time came for the "Falcon" to commence her homeward voyage.
 
Captain Seagrave willingly took charge of several parcels Jack wished to send to Winifred and Sir Lester, he also entrusted⁹ to Job a splendid photograph of Black Boy, with Sleath in the saddle, and the black and orange colours up.
 
When the "Falcon" left the harbour Jack felt more lonely than he had ever done since he landed in Australia, and it was with a feeling of intense relief he received a letter from Barry Tuxford some weeks after Black Boy had won the Cup.
 
Barry wrote in high spirits, he had nothing but good news to tell. His man had not exaggerated in the least, and he reckoned their claims would be about the richest in Western Australia.
 
"The country, as you may expect, is infernal," wrote Barry, "not fit for a civilised white man to live in, but where gold is to be found there do the people flock together, and it was not long before they were on my track after the first gold went on to the Great Tom township, and the Warden¹⁰ had granted our claims. You have never been in a gold rush and I hope you never will. It is hell let loose, every man for himself and the devil take the hindmost. All the worst features of the human race come to the surface; if a man has any of the leven of unrighteousness in him it's bound to ooze¹¹ out in a big lump. I have seen some very choice collections of blackguards in my time but I never set eyes on such a crew as we have had up here at Bundoola Creek¹². They are the scum of the earth, and although there are some good fellows amongst them, the majority ought to be in gaol¹³. You know me fairly well, and that I am not easily staggered, but I tell you candidly¹⁴ when I looked round on the crew that rushed the Creek I felt a trifle uncomfortable. We had secured the best claims, and the fellows knew it, and this raised their ire. They saw there was gold on our pitches to be had almost for the asking, and they wanted some of it. I was equally determined¹⁵ they should not have it. I took with me, from the township, a dozen men I could depend upon, and to make doubly sure of them I gave them a hint where to peg¹⁶ out their ground. This gave them an interest in the concern and as they were all well armed the rogues¹⁷ and vagabonds would have had a rough time of it had they ventured to interfere¹⁸ with us. Things have settled down a bit now, and as there is plenty for all I see no reason why the peace should not be kept.
 
"As for the claims, I have called one the 'Redland,' and the other the 'Barry Tuxford,' so we stand a good chance of becoming famous all the world over, for sure as fate these will be big concerns. I have just heard Black Boy won the Sydney Cup, and you cannot think how delighted I am. For a middle aged¹⁹ man I acted in a most absurd way. I danced around the camp like a wild man, and my pals²⁰ thought the heat had affected²¹ my brain. When I explained what had occurred they understood, they are all good sports. What a triumph, Jack, and what an awful scoundrel Abe Moss must be. I don't know how my horse ran, and don't much care, now you won. If Joel Kenley thinks Lucky Boy will win a race let him keep him in training, if not, sell him for what he will bring. Thank him for all he has done for us, and give him a bonus of a hundred pounds as a slight token of my regard. There is no secrecy²² now about my movements, and you may tell anyone you like where I am, and what has happened, providing they do not already know.
 
"Come back to Fremantle as soon as you feel inclined, as I have a lot to say to you about our future prospects^{23............}