r myself.'

'That's all very fine,' said father, looking very dark and dangerous.
'Is Mr. Starlight going to turn parson? You'll be just in time, for
we'll all be shopped if you run against the police like this, and next
thing to lay them on to the Hollow by making for it when you're too weak
to ride.'

'What would you have me do? Pull up and hold up my hands? There was
nowhere else to go; and that new sergeant rode devilish well, I can tell
you, with a big chestnut well-bred horse, that gave old Rainbow here all
he knew to lose him. Now, once for all, no more of that, Marston,
and mind your own business. I'm the superior officer in this ship's
company--you know that very well--your business is to obey me, and take
second place.'

Father growled out something, but did not offer to deny it. We could see
plainly that the stranger was or had been far above our rank, whatever
were the reasons which had led to his present kind of life.

We stayed for about ten days, while the stranger's arm got well. With
care and rest, it soon healed. He was pleasant enough, too, when the
pain went away. He had been in other countries, and told us all kinds of
stories about them.

He said nothing, though, about his own former ways, and we often
wondered whatever could have made him take to such a life. Unknown to
father, too, he gave us good advice, warned us that what we were in
was the road to imprisonment or death in due course, and not to flatter
ourselves that any other ending was possible.

'I have my own reasons for leading the life I do,' he said, 'and must
run my own course, of which I foresee the end as plainly as if it was
written in a book before me. Your father had a long account to square
with society, and he has a right to settle it his own way. That yellow
whelp was never intended for anything better. But for you lads'--and
here he looked kindly in poor old Jim's honest face (and an honest face
and heart Jim's was, and that I'll live and die on)--'my advice to you
is, to clear off home, when we go, and never come back here again. Tell
your father you won't come; cut loose from him, once and for all. You'd
better drown yourselves comfortably at once than take to this cursed
trade. Now, mind what I tell you, and keep your own counsel.'

By and by, the day came when the horses were run in for father and Mr.
Starlight and Warrigal, who packed up to be off for some other part.

When they were in the yard we had a good lo