t money or provisions in the
Australian wilderness, but at that moment he thought only of losing the
companionship of the two boys, and was troubled by the thought that they
might come to harm among the bushrangers.

"If I only knew where they were goin' to take 'em," he said to himself,
"I'd foller and see if I couldn't help 'em to escape."

To follow at once, however, he felt would be in the highest degree
imprudent, and he continued to move away slowly, but without any
definite idea of where he intended to go.

When Obed had disappeared, Fletcher came up to the boys, and said with a
smile:

"So you miss that Yankee, do you?"

"Yes, I do," answered Harry.

"You like him?"

"Yes."

"Then I don't admire your taste. He's rough and uncouth, and is more
fitted for a farm laborer than for society."

"That may be," said Harry, "but he is honest and reliable."

He might perhaps unconsciously have emphasized the word honest. At any
rate, Fletcher so understood him, and took offence at the implication.

"Look here, young whipper-snapper," he said roughly, "you'd better take
care how you talk. You are in my power, and something will happen to you
if you are insolent."

"What have I said to offend you?" asked Harry, looking the bushranger
calmly in the face. "I am not speaking of you, but of Mr. Stackpole."

"You meant to insinuate that there was a difference between us."

"That ought not to offend you, as you have so poor an opinion of him."

Harry evidently had the best of it, and Fletcher felt cornered, for he
did not care to court the charge of dishonesty.

"Perhaps you didn't mean anything," he growled. "If so, all is well, but
you had best be careful."

"Follow me, men," said the leader. He turned his horse's head and rode
into the wood.

The eucalyptus trees are very tall, some attaining a height of hundreds
of feet. They begin to branch high up, and there being little if any
underbrush in the neighborhood, there was nothing to prevent the passage
of mounted horsemen. The ground was dry also, and the absence of bogs
and marshy ground was felt to be a great relief.

The boys were on foot, and so were two or three of the bushrangers'
party. As already intimated, they were of inferior rank and employed as
attendants. In general the party was silent, but the boys overheard a
little conversation between the captain and Dick Fletcher, who rode
beside him.

"You haven't distinguished yourself this time,