ad not succeeded. As may be supposed, we did not allow them
an opportunity of attempting the same trick again, and when I called up
Guy, I charged him to keep a watch on the two fellows, a lantern being
placed in the middle of the hut to throw its light upon them.

At day-break Hector rode off to execute the commissions for his father,
and at the same time to summon the police.

As our prisoners required our constant attention, we were very thankful
when a dozen black troopers came clattering up to the station under the
command of an English officer, to whom we handed over the bushrangers,
and gave a full description of how they had been caught, and of their
two companions who had escaped.

We had, as we expected, to go and give evidence; but, fortunately, as
their trial came on at once, we were not long delayed.

By the time we were wanted, Bracewell, thanks to the dominie's medical
skill, had almost entirely recovered. He was able to identify the two
men as among the party who had attacked him, we also having found in
their possession some of his property which they had taken. The other
two were still at large, but the police entertained no doubt that they
should catch them before long.

We all returned to Bracewell's, and I was glad to find that he had
accepted an invitation from Mr Strong, to pay him a visit, which he was
able to do as he had engaged a trustworthy man to assist old Bob in
taking care of the station. We therefore prepared to set out
immediately.

CHAPTER SEVEN.

We were actually in our saddles and about to set off, when Hector
received a letter from his father directing him to return to town to
make some further purchases, and to transact other business.

The dominie, who had been expressing a wish to visit the city and buy
some books, begged permission to accompany him.

"You go on leisurely, we'll soon catch you up," said Hector. "It is a
pity that you should be delayed for us."

Bracewell agreed to this arrangement. As his strength was not
completely restored, it was considered advisable that he should make
short stages. While we therefore rode on as we intended to the
north-west, our friends, borrowing a couple of horses, that their own
might be fresh when they returned to the station, galloped off towards
the coast.

We were approaching a water-hole by the side of which we proposed
encamping the first evening, when we caught sight of a native walking
leisurely along with