just over, when Green, who
had gone down to fetch some water from the river, came hurrying back,
and reported that he had seen several men collecting, with arms in their
hands, on the opposite side. "Who could they be? What could be their
object?" was the question.

It was decided that while every precaution should be taken to prevent
surprise, they should be treated as if they could only have come on a
friendly errand, and that every attempt should be made to conciliate
them before resorting to force. Scarcely five minutes had passed before
several men were seen approaching, from the direction of the river, in
single file. They were all disguised, either with blackened faces or
masks, while they wore either kangaroo or sheep skins over their
shoulders, or were covered with the thick-leaved branches of shrubs, so
as completely to conceal their figures. It was evident that they
intended mischief. They halted at about twenty paces from the hut,
seemingly surprised at finding the windows barricaded and the door
closed, with the muzzles of firearms protruding from the walls. Seeing
their hesitation, James instantly went out, and, with his rifle in his
hand, confronted them--

"Men, you have amused yourselves seemingly with what might be a harmless
mummery, were it not for the weapons in your hands," he began, in a firm
tone; "put them down, and let me hear what you have got to say."

The leading man, after consulting with his companions, replied, "You
have got shut up there a friend of ours, and you must give him up to us,
or take the consequences."

"I am not at all likely to yield to demands made by strangers in the
tone you make them, or to tell you whether or not we have any one shut
up inside this hut," said James; "you will risk your own lives, and gain
nothing by persisting in such folly."

"Yours is the folly, master, in refusing our demands!" exclaimed the
man. "You can gain no good by keeping the man a prisoner, but will do
him and us harm!"

While the man was speaking, he and his companions advanced still closer
to the hut.

"Stand back!" cried James, endeavouring to bring his piece to his
shoulder; but before he had done so, the men, stooping low, sprang
forward, keeping him between themselves and the hut. Those inside
opened the door to admit him, but instead of retreating he stood fast,
till the leader of the ruffians had struck up his rifle, and, grasping
him by the throat, bore him backwar