nds right on the man's shoulders, sending him over and over, but
falling himself, while I picked up the pistol and drew the trigger.

The sharp report made my ears ring, and I stood back now with the weapon
presented, expecting some of the others to rush at me. But the two
reports had spread the alarm, and a couple of the officials came running
up, whilst our assailants took to flight, giving Gunson an opportunity
to rise and shake himself.

"Hurt, my lads?" he said, as he took his pistol. "They were too many
for me; I got the worst of it."

"I'm not hurt, sir; are you?" I said.

"Only a bit bruised."

"I am," grumbled Esau. "Feel as if my wrist's out of joint."

By this time a crowd had assembled, and we were very glad to get away
with our protector, after a few words of explanation to the two
policemen, who told us we had better mind what company we got into,
nodded to one another and laughed, as if it was all a good joke, and
then went their way.

"Here, come to my diggings," said Gunson, rather gruffly. "I thought I
told you two to mind what you were about, and what sort of customers you
would meet with out here."

"Yes," I said; "but--"

"Wait till we get to my place, and we'll sit down and talk there. Some
one has been pretty foolish to let two boys like you come wandering
round the world by yourselves."

In about ten minutes he stopped at so shabby looking a hotel that I half
shrank from entering.

Gunson noticed it.

"Needn't be scared," he said. "Decent people. Germans;" and throwing
off my hesitation, I followed him with Esau to his room, where he
pointed to a chair and a stool, and seated himself upon a very
homely-looking bed, taking out his revolver, and putting in two fresh
cartridges.

"Nasty thing to carry," he said, "but it's as good as a big dog. It can
bark loudly as well as bite. Barking did this time. Now then," he
continued, as he replaced the pistol in his hip pocket, "I suppose you
two know that those fellows were regular blackguards, who would have
stripped you of every shilling you possessed--by fair means or foul.
How was it you were with them?"

I told him all that Esau would let me say, for he was very anxious to
relate the story himself.

"Oh, that was it, was it?" said Gunson. "Glad you were so sensible, but
you see what this place is. It will be all right by and by, but at
present it's a regular sink for all the ruffians in the States to drain
into. Why