, even if we don't attack them till
the morning. On their fresh horses, those fellows will gallop right
away from us, if they once get a start.

"There is no fear, I hope, of any of the other blacks getting there
before us, and giving the alarm?"

Jim shook his head.

"No. We come straight from water hole. Black fellow go round long
way. No fear dey get dere. Dey fight when we go back."

"That's all right. Bobitu's fellows, and the bush rangers, will be
quite enough to tackle at once. As for the others, we will make
short work of them, if they venture to attack us on the march back.
They fight pluckily enough against men on foot, because they know
they can make off when they like; but they can't stand a charge of
horsemen."

Although not so long as the journey on the preceding day, the men
were heartily glad when, at about four o'clock in the afternoon,
the halt was called, and they heard that the place where the bush
rangers were supposed to be was but four miles away. After some
consultation, it was decided that Jim should lead half the
band--consisting of ten constables under O'Connor, and fifteen
colonists--round through the hills, to a position near the mouth of
the valley in which the blacks and bush rangers were likely to be;
and that, when he had posted them there, he should come back again
to their present halting place, and lead forward the party under
Reuben.

"Mind," Reuben said, before the others started, "we don't want to
attack the blacks, unless they show fight. Our object is the bush
rangers. Jim says that, by what he heard, they have got some sort
of houses they have built there. Let us make straight for them. If
the blacks attack, drive them off; but we can settle with them,
afterwards. The great point is to capture or kill the bush
rangers."

All agreed to this, for although the blacks gave great trouble, by
driving off the sheep and cattle, and sometimes killing the
shepherds, there was not the same feeling of hatred entertained for
them as for the bush rangers. It was felt to be natural that the
natives should resent the occupation of their hunting grounds; and
although they were shot down without mercy in fair fight, or if
overtaken while carrying off cattle, there was no active feeling of
animosity against them; and they were generally kindly treated,
when they called unarmed at the stations, and asked for food.

Against the bush rangers, on the other hand, a deadly hatred was
felt b