's to prove it? He'll swear he never was near
the fence, and that his dogs picked up these sheep and brought them home
on their own account. The jury would find that I dug up my own fence,
and they'd acquit Red Mick, and give him a testimonial. No, I'll tell
you what we'll do. We'll cut across the range, and sneak up as near Red
Mick's as we can. Then we'll hide and watch his house; and when the
dogs come up, if he takes the sheep from them, or starts to drive them
anywhere, we've got him. Once he takes charge of those sheep he's done.
Of course there may be a bit of trouble when we spring up and accuse
him. Are you afraid?"

"No," she replied. "I'm not afraid--with you. I like it. Come on."

No sooner said than done. They set their horses in motion, and went at a
steady trot for a mile or so, crossing the valley at right angles, over
a sharp rise and down a small hill, till Hugh again pulled up.

"There's Red Mick's homestead," he said, pointing to a speck far away
down a gully. "The sheep will come up the creek, because it is the
smoothest track. Now, we must tie our horses up here, sneak down the
creek bed, and get as near the house as we can."

They tied their horses up in a clump of trees, and made the rest of the
journey on foot, hurrying silently for half a mile down the bed of the
creek, hidden by its steep banks. Here and there, to escape observation,
they had to walk in the water, and Hugh, looking round, saw his
companion wading after him, with face firm-set and eyes ablaze. It was a
man-hunt, the most exciting of all hunting.

He laughed silently at the girl's flushed and excited face. As he
reached out to help her over some fallen timber, she took his hand with
a firm grip that set his nerves tingling. They pushed on until almost
abreast of Red Mick's dwelling; then Hugh, standing on a projecting
stump, peered over the high bank to see how the land lay, while his
companion sat down and watched his movements with wide open eyes.

He saw the cottage drowsing in the bright afternoon sunlight. It was a
picturesque little building, made of heavy red-gum slabs, with a bark
roof; the windows were merely square holes cut in the slabs, fitted with
heavy wooden covers that now hung open, giving a view of the interior.
In one room could be seen a rough dresser covered with plates and
dishes, and a saddle hung from a tie-beam; in the other there was a
rough plank bed with blue blankets. The door was shut, and ther