lled up, and Hector examined the animal's hoofs. A sharp thorn had
run into his right fore-foot, and though Hector extracted it, the animal
still remained as lame as before. We should not, under ordinary
circumstances, have minded the delay, but knowing how ill Bracewell was
we were much annoyed.

At last Hector offered to remain with Guy, if the dominie and I would
ride on. To this proposal I was very glad to accede.

The dominie at first looked a little uncomfortable at having to proceed
with a single companion.

"Suppose we were to fall in with bushrangers," he observed. "What
should we do?"

"Shoot them through the head if they offer to interfere with you," said
Hector. "You are always thinking of those fellows. The chances are
they cleared out of our district long ago when they found that we were
prepared for them."

"You may do our friend Bracewell a great deal of good," I observed, "for
you at all events know more about doctoring than any of us. You can
discover what is the matter with him."

"I certainly will not decline doing what you say," he answered, and
seeing to our saddle-girths we prepared for a gallop which would bring
us up to Bracewell's station before nightfall, Hector and Guy promising
to follow as fast as they could, although they would have to camp out
another night. We started off. The dominie had lately improved in his
horsemanship, and we made good play over the ground. I felt sure that I
knew the way, as the track between the two stations was tolerably well
defined. There were only two places, of no great extent, passing
through which we should have to pull rein. At the first the ground was
unusually rough and rocky, with thick underwood. We got over it,
however, and soon afterwards had to pass through a gorge in the only
range of hills we had to cross. The path was narrow, so that we could
not conveniently ride side by side. I therefore, as guide, took the
lead, and had unintentionally got some way ahead of the dominie, when I
heard him cry out, and turning round to see what was the matter I found
my right arm seized by a fellow who had sprung out from behind a rock
while another grasped my horse's rein, and the next instant I was
dragged to the ground.

"Stuck up at last, young master," cried a voice which I recognised as
that of the tall bushranger Guy and I had before encountered and driven
off. "Do not be a fool and show fight, or I'll blow your brains out.
Here,