en they were gathered; "let us keep in a close
body.

"If they ride off as we arrive there, do you, Jones and Wilkins,
stop at the station and see if you can render any help. If not,
follow us at once.

"Let the rest keep on with me, straight after the bush rangers.
There is already a faint light in the east. In half an hour it will
be broad day so, even if they have got a start, we shall be able to
follow them. Now, come on."

At the head of his party, Reuben rode at full speed down to the
station. As he neared it he saw, to his satisfaction, that the
flames arose from some of the outbuildings, and that the house
itself was still intact; but as no firing had been heard, he hoped
that it still resisted.

There was a shrill whistle, when the party approached within a
hundred yards. Men were seen to dash out of the house, and to leap
upon their horses.

With a shout, Reuben rode down. He did not pause for a moment, but
dashed past the house in the direction in which the bush rangers
had fled. They were, he knew, but a hundred yards ahead; but it was
not light enough for him to see them, especially after riding
through the glare of the fire. The sound of the horses' feet,
however, afforded an indication; but as there was no saying in
which direction they might turn, he was forced to halt, every two
or three minutes, to listen.

To his mortification he found that, each time, the sound was
getting more indistinct; for the speed at which they had travelled
had taken so much out of the horses, that they were unable to
compete with the fresher animals ridden by the bush rangers, who
were all well mounted, many of the best horses in the district
having been stolen by them. At last the sound could be heard no
longer, and Reuben was reluctantly obliged to give the order to
halt; for he feared he might override the trail.

"It is no use," he said, as he reined in his horse. "They will know
as well as we do that they are out of hearing now, and might turn
off anywhere. It is terribly annoying. We are too late to save the
station, and the bush rangers have escaped.

"However, we will take up their trail as soon as it is daylight.
Indeed, I am expecting every moment to be joined by Jim, who is
sure to be somewhere near, and can perhaps guide us direct to their
hiding place."

Deeply disappointed, the party dismounted from their horses.

"The scoundrels must have had someone on the watch," Reuben said,
"or they would ne