art here for miles round," said Mr Raydon, as I felt
quite startled at his plan being exactly the same as the one I had
thought of. "I will set over there somehow."

"Then we shall have them between two fires, sir," cried Barker--"good!"

We parted directly after this, it being understood that the miners were
to move slowly, so as to give us ample time to make our arrangements,
get round over the mountain-ridge, and go down to meet them so as to
have the enemy safely between us, Mr Raydon being of opinion that the
sides of the valley in which they were encamped would be too steep to
give them a chance of escape.

We pressed on past the various little claims, with the place looking
untidy and desolate, consequent upon the number of camping-places all
along the beautiful stream; and whenever we came upon the more desolate
places, with the traces of fire and burned trees, I saw Mr Raydon's
brow knit, and more than once he uttered an angry ejaculation.

Gunson's claim was neared at last, just as I was beginning to feel
exhausted with the difficulties of the climb up the rugged rock-strewn
track, and Mr Raydon was looking more severe than ever, when all at
once, from out of the trees there rang out a sharp "Halt!" and there was
the clicking of a rifle-lock.

"Hah!" ejaculated Mr Raydon, brightening up at once at this display of
watchfulness, which proved to him how trustworthy his men were. Then
stepping to the front he shouted a few words, and the man who had spoken
came from his post, which commanded an approach to the claim.

We were met with an eager welcome, and in spite of the risks they would
have to encounter, the four men were overjoyed at hearing of the
business in hand, clearly showing that they were tired of their
monotonous inactive life.

A brief halt was made, during which our party lay about making a good
meal; and then, at a word from Mr Raydon, they all sprang up together
quite in military fashion, while he explained to the four men the plan.

"We must try and get over here at once," he said, as he glanced up at
the tremendous wall of rock, piled up quite a thousand feet above our
heads, and dotted with patches of trees, wherever there was soil or
crevice in which a pine could take root.

"Better place higher up, sir," said one of the men. "There's a little
branch of the stream goes off west: I followed it the other day after a
sheep. I think we could get far enough up the mountain then to cros