this, and they were dead on for sticking up
the place and getting hold of the gold. Besides that, we felt savage
about his trying to run us in. Of course, it was his duty and that of
all magistrates and commissioners in a general way. But he wasn't an
officer of police, and we thought he was going outside of his line.
So when all came to all, we made up our minds to learn him a lesson to
stick to his own work; besides, a thousand ounces of gold was no foolish
touch, and we could kill two birds with one stone. Moran, Daly, and
Joe Wall were to be in it besides. We didn't like working with them.
Starlight and I were dead against it. But we knew they'd tackle it by
themselves if we backed out. So we agreed to make one thing of it.
We were to meet at a place about ten miles off and ride over there
together.

Just about ten o'clock we closed in on the place, and left Billy the Boy
and Warrigal with the horses, while we sneaked up. We couldn't get near,
though, without his knowing it, for he always had a lot of sporting
dogs--pointers, retrievers, kangaroo dogs, no end. They kicked up a
deuce of a row, and barked and howled enough to raise the dead, before
we got within a quarter of a mile from the house.

Of course he was on his guard then, and before long the bullets began to
fly pretty thick among us, and we had to take cover to return fire and
keep as dark as we could. No doubt this Dr. Schiller loaded the guns and
handed them to him, else he couldn't have made such play as he did.

We blazed away too, and as there was no stable at the back we surrounded
the house and tried hard to find an opening. Devil a chance there seemed
to be; none of us dared show. So sure as we did we could hear one of
those Winchester rifle bullets sing through the air, almost on the top
of us. We all had a close shave more than once for being too fast.

For more than half the night he kept cannonading away, and we didn't
seem able to get any nearer the place. At last we drew lots which should
try and get up close to the place, so as to make a rush while we poured
in our broadside and open a door to let us in.

The lot fell upon Patsey Daly. 'Good-bye, all,' he said. 'I'm dashed if
I don't think Knightley will bag me. I don't half like charging him, and
that's God's truth. Anyhow I'll try for that barrel there; and if I get
behind it I can fire from short range and make him come out.'

He made a rush, half on his hands and knees, and manage