a long way. We
dressed pretty rough too; we had longish hair and beards, and (except
Starlight) might have been easy taken for down-the-river stockmen or
drovers.

When we got to Barnes's place he and the old woman seemed ever so
glad to see us. Bella and Maddie rushed out, making a great row, and
chattering both at a time.

'Why, we thought you were lost, or shot, or something,' Bella says. 'You
might have sent us a letter, or a message, only I suppose you didn't
think it worth while.'

'What a bad state the country's getting in,' says Maddie. 'Think of
them bush-rangers sticking up the bank at Ballabri, and locking up
the constable in his own cell. Ha! ha! The police magistrate was here
to-night. You should have heard Bella talking so nice and proper to him
about it.'

'Yes, and you said they'd all be caught and hanged,' said Bella; 'that
it was settin' such a bad example to the young men of the colony. My
word! it was as good as a play. Mad was so full of her fun, and when
the P.M. said they'd be sure to be caught in the long run, Maddie said
they'd have to import some thoroughbred police to catch 'em, for our
Sydney-side ones didn't seem to have pace enough. This made the old
gentleman stare, and he looked at Maddie as if she was out of her mind.
Didn't he, Mad?'

'I do think it's disgraceful of Goring and his lot not to have run them
in before,' says Starlight, 'but it wouldn't do for us to interfere.'

'Ah! but Sir Ferdinand Morringer's come up now,' says Maddie. 'He'll
begin to knock saucepans out of all the boys between here and Weddin
Mountain. He was here, too, and asked us a lot of questions about people
who were "wanted" in these parts.'

'He fell in love with Maddie, too,' says Bella, 'and gave her one of the
charms of his watch chain--such a pretty one, too. He's going to catch
Starlight's mob, as he calls them. Maddie says she'll send him word if
ever she knows of their being about.'

'Well done, Maddie!' says Jim; 'so you may, just an hour or two after
we're started. There won't be much likelihood of his overhauling us
then. He won't be the first man that's been fooled by a woman, will he?'

'Or the last, Jim,' says Bella. 'What do you say, Captain? It seems to
me we're doing all the talking, and you're doing all the listening. That
isn't fair, you know. We like to hear ourselves talk, but fair play is
bonny play. Suppose you tell us what you've been about all this time. I
think tea's ready.