elieved. I will leave it to
you to pick out the men to go. Mind, put it to them that they are
to be relieved simply because Captain Wilson thinks they have had
their share of hard work, and should therefore be sent to a quiet
station, for a time. Just pick out the men whom you think would be
most pleased to go."

"Very well, sir. I am glad to hear the news, for to tell you the
truth, I do think we want a little fresh blood amongst us."

Three days later the new detachment arrived, and Reuben saw, at
once, that Captain Wilson had chosen a picked set of young men.
About half of them were freshly enlisted in the force. The others
had all been employed at up-country stations, and were well
acquainted with the nature of the work before them. The same
afternoon, the eight men picked out by Sergeant O'Connor as being
the least useful on the station started for Sydney, most of them
well pleased at being relieved from their arduous duties.

Reuben found that there were, in the office, a great many letters
from settlers, asking for protection. It was impossible to comply
with all these but, after consultation with O'Connor, he sent five
parties, of three men each, to as many exposed stations; keeping
ten in hand, to move as required.

Taking Jim, and two of the constables who had been longest on the
station, he spent two months in traversing his district, from end
to end, and making himself thoroughly acquainted with its
geographical features; for he felt that, until he had mastered
these, he should only be working in the dark. For a time the
outrages had ceased, the bush rangers having shifted their
quarters, and the natives withdrawn after the murder of the late
inspector. This was a great relief to Reuben, as it permitted him
to gain an insight into the country before setting to work in
earnest.

Upon his tour, he and his followers were everywhere most hospitably
received at the stations at which they halted. Everywhere he heard
the same tale of sheep killed, cattle and horses driven off, and
the insolent demeanour of the natives.

"I was thinking of giving it up, and moving back into the more
populated districts," one of the settlers said to Reuben; "but now
you have come, I will hold on for a bit longer, and see how it
turns out. You look to me the right sort of fellow for the post;
but the difficulty is, with such a large scattered district as
yours, to be everywhere at once. What I have often thought of, is
that