ived directions to the contrary. He shrugged his shoulders as he
observed, "My hard fate again! And so, I suppose, if anything goes
wrong, those books are to be brought as evidence against me, though I
may be as innocent as the babe unborn." There was a sinister expression
in his countenance as he spoke, of which he was probably unaware, but
which convinced the young managers that they must be careful how they
dealt with him till they could receive authority from Sydney to dismiss
him.

In spite of all their vigilance and activity, things continued to go on
wrong. Sheep disappeared, carried off by dingoes, or by the native
blacks; the shepherds asserted that cattle strayed, and could not be
recovered; and two valuable horses, intended to be sent to Sydney, for
shipment to India, were missing. More than once the brothers were
inclined to wish that they had commenced as squatters on their own
account in a small way, with only a few honest men around them; yet,
having undertaken their present task, they were not the men to shrink
from it. They came to the determination, however, not to embark any of
their own small capital till they had got everything to rights, and men
under them in whom they could place confidence. At length the
looked-for authority arrived to dismiss, not only Mr Basham, but any of
the men who might behave ill, or be suspected of malpractices; it being
suggested that, as trustworthy men were difficult to procure, it would
be injudicious to proceed on light grounds, at the same time, as proof
positive would in many cases be impossible, it would not be necessary to
wait till it was found. This was throwing a large amount of
responsibility on their shoulders, but they determined to do their duty.
Mr Basham received his dismissal with great coolness; but again his
features assumed the expression the Gilpins had before observed. He
claimed as his own a couple of fine horses, and, placing his personal
property on one of these and bestriding the other, early the next
morning he rode off, the last glance of his cold, grey eye leaving an
impression which for many a day remained fixed on the minds of the
brothers.

CHAPTER FOUR.

The Gilpins found that the superintendence of a large station did not
afford a bed of roses. All day long they were in the saddle,
overlooking twenty stockmen and shepherds, examining the herds and
flocks, and often themselves doctoring any which were found diseased or