at the fellow was playing us false, he suddenly
stopped, and repeated his caution for silence.

"Ve is close to um," he said. "A few steps more and ve'll be in sight of
their camp. Now, don't you think I'd better go behind, 'cos I'm not good
at fightin', and Nosey is the devil when he gets in a rage."

"Don't stop to remonstrate," Murden replied. "Lead us to the very camp
of the bushrangers, and don't think that you can go to the rear, and
escape the action of my pistol in case you play us false. Onward you
go."

"Here's a precious fix," muttered Steel Spring. "I've got to lead the
way to the presence of that old devil, Nosey, and I know's he'll pin me
the fust."

"Stop your grumbling," said Maurice, "or I'll treat your lank body to a
dose of this."

He pointed to his huge pistol, and the threat effectually silenced all
objections on the part of the guide, who meekly continued to move on, as
though under the influence of some charm which he could not resist.

Ten minutes brought us to the edge of a clearing similar to the one
which Black Darnley and his gang had occupied. It was in the most dense
part of the forest, and well chosen for secrecy. Near the edge was a
spring of water, and directly in the centre of the vacant space was a
log hut of large dimensions, with loopholes through which muskets could
be poked in case of an assault.

There was no sign of life about the premises, and we were led to wonder
whether the gang was within the hut sleeping off last night's fatigue,
or whether they were off on an expedition. If the latter surmise was
correct, we might have to wait three or four days before they returned,
and that was something which we could not afford to do.

If the gang was asleep, an excellent opportunity was offered to capture
them without the loss of a man; but who would venture to creep to the
hut and find out, when there was a probability of a dozen men being
encompassed behind those walls, waiting to take us by surprise, instead
of our treating them to such a course of strategy!

Murden looked first at his men, but they rather avoided his eyes, and
then his glance wandered to the old convict, but he did not appear to
take the hint, and returned the stave with one of mildness. Fred's turn
came next, and in him the right man was found.

"I see what you want, lieutenant," Fred said, with a smile, "and I am
ready to comply. Keep me well covered with your guns, and think there is
not much danger