cried; and he suddenly
became silent, and leaned back in his chair, gazing out through the open
window at the wide prospect of hill, mountain, and dark green forest.
"I am looking forward to being out again in those glorious pine-woods,
breathing the sweet mountain air. I shall soon be quite strong again
then."

I thought of my own wound, and how I had seemed to drink in health and
strength as soon as I got out.

"It would not be a bad life to settle down here," continued Mr Gunson;
"I should enjoy it. A beautiful life, far better than hunting for gold.
But what about those scoundrels who made me like this? Is there any
fresh news of them?"

"None," I said.

"That's bad. They may be in mischief. Awkward if they come and attack
us again when we get back to the claim. Raydon must lend us some of his
men, or else I must join forces with that Barker, though I would far
rather keep the place to myself. But we cannot risk another such
attack. You see what a coward weakness has made me."

"You a coward!" I cried, scornfully.

"Yes, my lad," he said, with a smile. "I do not feel a bit like a brave
man should. Well," he cried, with a laugh, "that is strange!"

"What is?" I cried.

"Look," he said, pointing out of the window to a group of men coming in
at the gate; "the very man I was speaking about--Barker."

"There's something wrong," I said, excitedly, as I sprang from my chair.

"Go and see," he cried; but I was already at the door, and rushed out
just as Mr Raydon and Mr John came from the office, and Grey from one
of the block-houses.

"How are you?" said Barker, coming up with a serious look on his face
that told of bad news before he spoke.

Mr Raydon took the extended hand.

"Well," he said, "what is it? That gang again?"

"Yes," said Barker, rather huskily; "we were in hopes that we had seen
the last of them, but they made an attack last night. We did not know
till quite late this morning, when a man from the next claim went down
to the bar nearest the big river."

"Yes, go on--quick!" said Mr Raydon.

"They had been there some time in the night. There was a party of six
working together, and I suppose they surprised them."

"Well?"

"Two of the poor fellows are lying dead, sir, and the other four badly
wounded. They have swept the place of everything, and got a good deal
of gold."

As this bad news was told I could not look at Mr Raydon, for fear his
eyes should gaze reproachfu