ile all the time he was eating, those
same fierce and restless eyes were taking in everything about the place,
till he rose to go, with a muttered word or two which hardly sounded
like thanks.

"No sooner was he out of sight than Horace's father joined me in the
veranda. His voice was agitated as he asked,--

"`Do you know that man?'

"`Not that I am aware of,' I replied; `indeed I may say, certainly not;
for once seen, such a man is not easily forgotten. A more villainous
face I never beheld.'

"`You may well say so,' said my friend. `I know that man too well; he
nearly succeeded in taking my life at the diggings,--he is somewhat
older-looking, of course, but there is no mistaking him. He was an
escaped convict when I knew him, and belonged to the most dangerous set
in the place where I was working. I don't at all like his lurking about
here. You may depend upon it, his presence bodes no good.'

"`I can well believe that,' I said; `so we must take proper precautions,
and see that the men are on the look-out.'

"`Yes,' he replied, `I will see to that; and it will be as well to send
a messenger to-night over to Melbourne to give the police a hint, as I
fancy they would not be sorry to come across this fellow, as his doings
are no doubt pretty well known to them.'

"Nothing more occurred that night to disturb us; but the following day
four horsemen might be seen riding up towards the house at a dashing
gallop, just about noon. I was prepared, however, for their coming and
had caused all the men about the place to take refuge in my own house,
which I had made provision for barricading if necessary. I had only
three or four men on the place at that time, and their wives and
children. These last I brought into an inner room when I saw the
horsemen in the distance. Though a soldier by profession, I was
exceedingly reluctant to shed blood, and had resolved on the present
occasion not to do so if it could possibly be avoided.

"The strangers were soon at the veranda, evidently resolved to take us
by storm. Foremost among them was my visitor of the day before. He
sprang down from his horse in the most reckless manner, and began
thundering at the door with the butt end of his rifle. My house had not
been built with the view of its sustaining a siege at any time, but was
constructed of rather light materials, so that the door began to groan
and creak under the assaults of the bushranger, whose every movement