ts with his whip, he
looked for all the world like a bull-terrier.

'My colonial oath, Dick, you're quite the gentleman--free with your
money just the same as ever. You takes after the old governor; he always
paid well if you told him the truth. I remember him giving me a hidin'
when I was a kiddy for saying something I wasn't sure of. My word! I was
that sore for a week after I couldn't button my shirt. But ain't it a
pity about Jim?'

'Oh, that's it. What about Jim?'

'Why, the p'leece grabbed him, of course. You fellers don't think you're
going on for ever and ever, keepin' the country in a state of terrorism,
as the papers say. No, Dick, it's wrong and wicked and sinful. You'll
have to knock under and give us young uns a chance.'

Here the impudent young rascal looked in my face as bold as brass and
burst out laughing. He certainly was the cheekiest young scoundrel I
ever came across. But in his own line you couldn't lick him.

'Jim's took,' he said, and he looked curiously over at me. 'I seen the
p'leece a-takin' him across the country to Bargo early this morning.
There was poor old Jim a-lookin' as if he was goin' to be hanged, with a
chap leading the screw he was on, and Jim's long legs tied underneath. I
was gatherin' cattle, I was. I drew some up just for a stall, and had a
good look.'

'How many men were with him?'

'Only two; and they're to pass through Bargo Brush about sundown
to-night, or a bit earlier. I asked one of the men the road; said I'd
lost myself, and would be late home. Ha! ha! ha!'

And how the young villain laughed till the tears came into his eyes,
while he danced about like a blackfellow.

'See here, Billy,' I said, 'here's another pound for you, and there'll
be a fiver after if you stick well to me to-day. I won't let Jim be
walked off to Berrima without a flutter to save him. It'll be the death
of him. He's not like me, and he's got a young wife besides.'

'More fool he, Dick. What does a cross cove want with a wife? He can't
never expect to do any good with a wife follerin' of him about. I'm
agin marrying, leastways as long as a chap's sound on his pins. But I'll
stick to you, Dick, and, what's more, I can take you a short cut to the
brush, and we can wait in a gully and see the traps come up. You have
a snack and lie down for a bit. I seen you were done when you came up.
I'll have the horses ready saddled up.'

'How about the police? Suppose they come this way.'

'Not they