uld not get liquor like this to cool your tongue there," Fred
said, handing the lieutenant the bottle to wet his parched lips.

"The bushranger is dying, sir," cried one of the men, who was seated
nearest to the wounded man.

Murden hesitated while raising the bottle to his lips for a moment.

"If I thought, that the contents of the flask would save him, I would
yield it," he said; "but all the wine in the universe would not bring
him to active life, while a few drops will help sustain me. My duty is
clear. I will try and preserve my own existence."

He barely wet his lips, however, but even while he was doing so, I saw
by the appearance of the men that they were perishing from thirst; yet
such was their pluck and discipline that not one of them uttered a
groan, or spoke in an angry tone.

"Divide it fairly, men," Murden said, passing the bottle to Maurice.
"Remember, each one can only wet his lips."

The injunction was obeyed, and the half pint of claret went the rounds,
and came back to Fred with a few drops remaining.

As though to reward the men for their forbearance, a slight breeze,
deliciously cool, swept over our heads, and revived us with new life. At
the same time we heard a hissing on the outside, which sounded like a
piece of hot iron suddenly thrown into a pail of water. We all listened
attentively at the sound, hardly daring to believe that what we heard
was real. The noise grew louder and louder, and through the small
opening we caught, sight of huge drops of rain falling.

"Hurrah!" yelled Murden, starting to his feet and poking his head out of
the den; "we are all right now--it's raining in torrents."

The news was so good that we shook hands with each other, and
congratulated ourselves as being under the especial care of Providence.
Even Rover added his joyful barks to our cheers, and so eager was he
that I suffered him to go out and roll in the wet to his heart's
content.

The fire was being rapidly extinguished by the torrents of water which
were falling, and so eager did our party feel to gain the open air once
more, that they preferred to brave the rain and smoke to remaining in a
place that liked to have been their grave.

It was rare to have rain at that time of year in Australia, and a number
of the men construed it into an omen of the good will of Providence; but
I reflected, and came to the conclusion that the cause was natural, and
could be produced at any time if there were fores