come to look for him. The nearest police-station was
about thirty miles off. It was necessary to convey their prisoner
there; but then it was very possible that they might be attacked on the
road, and that he might be rescued. Knowing the bad feeling of the
people around them, it would be imprudent to weaken the strength of
their party at the hut. James therefore resolved, if Larry was
sufficiently rested, to send him off, as soon as it was daylight, for a
sufficient force to escort the late overseer to prison. Scarcely had he
formed this plan when Larry jumped up, and exclaimed--

"Now, yer honour, you have had watching enough, and I'll just take my
spell. I'm as fresh as a daisy with the dew on the grass."

James declined doing this, and told him of his proposed plan.

"Nothing like taking time by the forelock!" exclaimed the Irishman.
"I've my raisons, and I'll be off--as soon as I can stow some food in my
inside and catch the horse--before it is daylight, so that it will be a
hard job for any of them fellows to find me, even if they have a fancy
for that same."

As there was no time to be lost, James went out and brought in Larry's
horse, to which he gave a sop of damper and spirits and water, while
Larry was refreshing himself.

"It's good luck I'll have on a good errand, I hope," he exclaimed, as he
leaped into the saddle; "for though the police and I weren't over
friendly once on a time, I can now face them like an honest man, thanks
to yer honour."

Larry was soon lost to sight in the gloom which prevailed at a distance
from the yet burning wood. Daylight came. All hands were on foot. The
wounded man appeared to be no worse. A sad change had taken place in
the once picturesque appearance of the surrounding scenery. In the
place of the green wood, with many noble trees, a few blackened stems,
gaunt and branchless, with still smouldering ashes at their base, were
the only objects to be seen on the hillside. The Gilpins scarcely liked
to keep Craven and his companion from their posts, though at the same
time they felt the importance of having a sufficient guard over their
prisoner. They were surprised that none of the stockmen or hut-keepers
from the neighbourhood had made their appearance. It proved but too
plainly that all were disaffected; and it made them resolve not to quit
the vicinity of the hut till the arrival of the police. They could not,
however, come for some hours. Breakfast was