rate characters who are naturally attracted to a new country, readily adopted the wild and lawless life of the bushrangers. Stories of their outrages were

as outwardly quiet, his heart sank within him wh

nes must be given up," said

e faces of the men who confronted th

eagerly, "at that man

ckpole

I'm a living sinn

e leader of the bush

he asked in brief,

o whom the demand was naturally addressed. "But I wo

o

dn't know for my part that the

n," was the stern reply. "You must gi

uire. I'm a good many thousan

oduce whatever y

. You've tackled th

hat man!" said the

horse, and with evident alacrity a

t before," said O

utlaw, showing his teeth. "I

when you show yourself in your true colors, than when you sneaked up to me

her, frowning. "Yesterday you were t

er? Well, I can't say I'm very much surprise

you?" said Fletcher, t

fe for you t

ght to be brave with al

cher? Why don't you proceed to busin

tackpole!" said Fletch

rig

d produced in succession a jackknife, a plug of t

" he said, "if you wa

ded Fletcher, perceiving an impatient frown on

it before," answered Obed imperturbably. "I've mislaid

d, and proceeded to search,

Obed. "I'm a tender plant, an

but no money was found. D

ything," he said

ently. "He has some place of concealment for h

and was about to obey directi

you're bound to have the money, I may as well give

ed, not understa

you if you want it, but I

knife was give

ew out four five-pound bank-notes. They were creas

. "I can't say you're welcome to them, but that

ed the chief of the bushrangers,

cent, s

turned to

s this man was wel

answered Fletc

s is a contemptibly small sum, a

"It aint worth carryin' away. You m

ued the captain. "Once more, is tha

s, sq

we catch you in a lie, we'll st

. I never lie. I'm like Washington

luckily for Obed, since there is reason to believ

said the captain sternly. "Take care h

ggested Fletcher, uncomf

h them

the futility of resistance, produced promptly all the money they had. So much, however,

contemptuously, "that's

ttle and supplies

h drive the team into the woods, and prepare some

to be servants, came forward,

Obed in alarm. "You aint goin

large sum in money, we would have spare

tarve, without

nothing

a despondent tone. "Our prospects aint

a quiet conference a

to leave the scene with their older companion. "You c