, though I felt sure that the black would watch them carefully
as he squatted down by their side with a sharp knife in his hand. It
was a nervous time, but we had not long to wait before we heard the dull
sound of galloping feet, and several horses came in sight, followed by
the big bushranger mounted on a powerful steed. I could nowhere see
Vinson, so that he at all events would have a chance of escaping. The
horses came rushing on, and as they got near the fire separated, some on
one side, some on the other. With an oath the big man shouted out--

"Why don't you stop them, you fellows?" The two figures bending over
the fire did not appear to hear him, until, throwing himself from his
horse, he approached them; when, snatching up their rifles, they
suddenly turned round and presented the barrels at his head.

"Hands up, or we fire!" cried Guy and Hector in the same breath.

Notwithstanding this warning the bushranger's right hand instantly moved
towards the butt of the pistol in his belt, his left still holding the
rein; he, however, quickly changed his mind, for he well knew, should he
attempt to draw his weapon, before he could present it a couple of balls
might be crashing through his brain. Another oath escaped his lips.

"Caught at last," he cried out, as if he was going to yield, but the
next instant with a bound he was in his saddle, leaning forward at the
same time, so that the horse's neck might protect his head. Guy fired.

The bullet only grazed the fellow's shoulder. I was taking aim at the
fugitive, when another person appeared, driving before him the remainder
of the horses. Forgetting for a moment that the bushranger's guns lay
beside my brother and Hector, but recollecting that the big fellow had a
brace of pistols in his belt, I was afraid of firing lest I should miss;
and that he, coming back, would turn the tables on us. The next instant
Hector and Guy had each picked up a gun. The big bushranger had,
however, already got to a considerable distance, and although both
fired, he continued his course, apparently uninjured.

While they were reloading, the fourth man, whom I took to be Vinson, had
disappeared. We all three immediately rushed out to stop the horses,
and succeeded in catching our own and two others. Our own saddles were
in the robber's camp, so all we had to do was to put them on ready for a
start. We then placed our prisoners on the backs of the other two,
securing their