. None o' the horses can overtake your one, I guess. I
was lookin' at him as we came along. It would only be losin' time for
nothin', an' he's miles ahead by this time."

Ned Sinton felt that the man's remarks were too true, so he returned to
the spot where the remaining robbers lay, and found that the miners had
cut their fastenings, and were busily engaged in rebinding their hands
behind them, preparatory to carrying them back to their settlement. It
was discovered that the lashings of one of the men had been partly
severed with a knife, and, as he could not have done it himself, it was
plain that the robber who had escaped must have done it, and that the
opportune arrival of the party had prevented him from accomplishing his
purpose. How the man had broken his own bonds was a mystery that could
not now be solved, but it was conjectured they must have been too weak,
and that he had burst them by main strength.

Another discovery was now made, namely, that one of the three robbers
secured was no other than Black Jim himself; the darkness of the night
had prevented Ned and Tom from making this discovery during the fight.

In less time than we have taken to describe it, the robbers were
secured, and each was mounted behind one of his captors.

"Ain't you goin' with us?" inquired one of the men, observing that Ned
Sinton stood leaning on his rifle, as if he meant to remain behind.

"No," answered Ned; "my companion and I have travelled far to-day,
besides fighting a somewhat tough battle; we mean to camp here for the
night, and shall proceed to your settlement to-morrow."

The men endeavoured to dissuade them from their purpose, but they were
both fatigued, and persisted in their determination. The impression
they had made, however, on their new friends was so favourable, that one
of their number, a Yankee, offered the loan of his horse to Ned, an
offer which the latter accepted thankfully, promising to return it safe
and sound early on the following day. Five minutes later the sound of
the retreating hoofs died away, and the travellers stood silently side
by side in the gloomy ravine.

For a few minutes neither spoke; then Ned heaved a sigh, and, looking in
his companion's face with a serio-comically-sad expression, said:

"It may not, perhaps, have occurred to you, Tom, but are you aware that
we are a couple of beggars?"

"If you use the term in its slang sense, and mean to insinuate that we
are a couple