ightly as he could, crawling out backwards. He then
placed a piece of turf over the outside hole, and stamped it down
flat.

It was possible that, after he had started, they might change their
mind and send one of their number back again; that, however, had to
be risked, and at a steady run he set off for the settlements. He
did not make for the nearest; for he had gathered, from the talk of
the men, that the convict labourers of most of the settlements in
the neighbourhood were in league with them.

After three hours' steady running, in which he had covered over
twenty miles, he saw a shepherd's cottage and, making for it, gave
the man the message which he had taken to Reuben. He had no sooner
done so, and had found that the man was willing to set off with it
at once, than he turned and retraced his steps to the hut, as
rapidly as he had come. It was already dusk when he reached it.

Instead of approaching boldly, he made a circuit and crawled up to
it on his belly; and lay for some time, listening intently, with
his ear to the door. He felt convinced that no one was there; but
to make sure he knocked, and then withdrew among the trees. But all
was still and, feeling sure now that the place was untenanted, he
removed the piece of turf from the hole and made his way back into
the hut again; carefully replacing the piece of turf, and then
packing earth under it, so that it would not give way if trodden
upon. This, however, was a very unlikely occurrence, as he had made
the opening where some bushes screened it from view.

He swept up every scrap of soil from the floor inside, filled up
the hole there and trampled it down; and then, after indulging his
appetite to the fullest, threw himself down and went to sleep.

When he awoke, a few streaks of light streaming through the cracks
of the door showed that it was day; and he made up the fire, and
awaited the return of the bush rangers.

It was four or five hours before they returned, and the instant
they opened the door and entered, Jim was sure that they had
failed; but to his disappointment all were there, and his plan of
taking them in a trap had not succeeded. At this he was not
surprised; for his own calculations, as to the distance to be
traversed, had shown him that it was very questionable whether,
even under the most favourable circumstances, Reuben could have got
there in time with his men.

Without speaking a word to him, the men led their horses through