that my child would be cared for, feel that I should
be content to die."

"Die?" repeated Fred, cheerfully; "your sight is still good, and your
hand does not tremble. A bushranger at forty rods is as good as slain
when you draw a bead on him, and yet you talk of yielding up your life
because we have been caught in a trap by a crafty spy."

"Man's destiny is like--"

"Spare your proverbs," exclaimed Fred, impatiently, "until we are in a
place of safety. I feel like making my way out of these woods as fast as
possible, and if I have got to cut through a line of robbers I shall
leave my mark before completing the job."

"Then let us lose no time," Smith said, speaking after a profound
silence. "I can hear the devils calling to each other as they make their
way through the forest, and if we wait for their arrival we shall be
hemmed in on every point."

Even while Smith was speaking, we could hear the calls of Steel Spring,
repeated in rapid succession, as though urging his comrades to renewed
exertion. I raised the heavy bag of gold to my shoulder, and away we
went, tramping through the bushes, stumbling over decayed trees, and
bumping heavily against growing ones. Every few minutes we halted and
listened attentively; yet strange to say, not a sound was to be heard
except quick breathing and beating of hearts. The stillness seemed worse
than the noise, for during the latter we were enabled to define the
position of our opponents, and knew that they were at arm's length; but
now, when every thing was quiet around us, we knew not but our next step
might bring us under their fire, and then farewell to life and fortune.

"Forward," whispered Fred; and on we struggled, the forest apparently
growing more dense at every step, and at length we seemed so surrounded
with impenetrable thickets that we were obliged to halt and consult as
to the best route to the team, which we were anxious to reach.

Suddenly the cracking of a twig beneath the foot of a man who appeared
to be making his way in the direction from which we came, started us.
Rover uttered a short growl, and would have sprung upon him, but Fred
held the brute with hands of iron and whispered a word of caution, and
then the dog became mute as stone.

The invisible robber continued on his way towards the clearing, passing
so near us that it seemed as though we might have touched him, had we
been so disposed. He evidently was on the lookout for our party, for he
wou