re,
seems to court the rays of the sun, and moves along with a steady step,
and without a word of complaint.

I no longer wondered at the assurance of the bushranger when he
proclaimed himself a disciple of Australian barbarians.

"Will any man in his senses believe that the horses have crossed that
narrow strip?" demanded one of the fellows, pointing to the bridge; "I
know the horses of this country too well to believe that they like bogs
so well as to venture there."

"I tell you that two of the horses have crossed to that island!" cried
the first speaker, after stooping down and examining the ground; "here,
see for yourself!"

The robbers gathered around the spot indicated, and we could hear them
converse in low tones for a few minutes, and look suspiciously towards
the island, where we were hid from observation by a number of large
rocks.

"If two of the horses has gone to the island, whar is the other?" cried
a voice, more gruff and savage than the others.

No one seemed disposed to answer that question, and for a few seconds
there was a profound silence.

"I tell you what it is, coveys, I don't care about staying in this
neighborhood long, 'cos I heard a brother pal say once, that ever since
old Buckerly was knocked on the head he has wandered round here with a
sheet of flame in one hand, a spear in the other, and a pair of horns on
his head, to show that he was in the cattle trade when finished."

There was a faint laugh at the suspicious man's story, but I noticed
that their expressions of mirth were not overflowing.

"Pooh! you don't believe such d----d lies, do you?" one fellow asked.

"Never you mind what I believe," said the story teller, with a
dogmatical emphasis.

"Well, we had better be doing something, or else return to the camp and
get a bit to eat; I'm tired of tramping all day and getting no plunder,"
cried one, who didn't seem to be in a good humor.

"Hullo! one horse went off in this direction!" cried the fellow who was
following up the trail.

The gang gathered round the speaker, and satisfied themselves that such
was the case, and then we could see them gazing with some degree of
apprehension upon the dark palms.

"Who's going there to make a search?" one asked.

"Not I," said one.

"Nor I."

"Nor I."

"Fools, are you afraid of your own shadows?" demanded one robber, more
bold than the others.

"I don't fear any man, if he comes at me single, but I don't like
fighting w