The boys listened soberly, very elated and perfectly happy.

'But we mustn't let the nex' one go so easy,' said the leader.

'Here is someone,' whispered Fork Lightning.

Sure enough, a pedestrian could be dimly discerned approaching from the
direction of the toll-gate.

'To yer horses! commanded Red Hand.

'Why, it's a woman,' said Peterson.

'Who cares?'

'Thought bushrangers never did nothin' to the women?'

'Oh,' said Dick, 'that's on'y when they're young an' pretty. If this
one's young an' pretty I'll 'polo gise, an' it'll be all right. There
ain't no reason not to bail 'em up when they're big an' strong an' able
to take care o' themselves.'

This seemed quite reasonable to the gang, and they saw as the lady
approached that her size did not give her any claim upon their gallantry.
She was very tall and stout. In point of fact she was the woman who had
driven through Waddy on the day after the goat raid, calling down infamy
on the township.

'Bail up!' cried Red Hand.

Phil, Ted, and Peterson rode up in front, barring the way. Red Hand and
Fork Lightning approached from either side, and all presented pistols.
The woman backed away a few paces, staring at the goat-mounted, masked
apparitions that seemed to have started out of the ground under her very
nose, but the bushrangers followed her up.

'Be not afraid, madam,' said Dick in his best literary style; 'I am Red
Hand, an' if you obey no injury'll be done you.'

The woman threw up her hands in amazement.

'Well I never,' she muttered. Without the least warning she darted at
Ted, seized him, pulled him from the back of his billy, and in spite of
his wild struggles promptly bent him over her knee; then, with a hand
like that of a navvy, backed by a great muscular arm, began to spank the
terrible outlaw.

'You look out! You le' me alone!' gasped Ted, struggling and writhing
with all his power; but the flailing went on, bat--bat--bat--with blows
that might have disturbed an elephant. Ted's feelings became too strong
for words; he started to howl, and the night re-echoed with the cries of
the outraged bushranger. The rest of the gang stood mute, staring at this
shocking scene, amazed and deeply offended. It was all so incongruous, so
utterly opposed to rule and precedent; they could scarcely believe their
senses. Dick was the first to recover.

'Fire!' commanded Red Hand.

Cracker-wicks were ignited and four explosions followed, but when the
smo