hardy than the rest rushed from his concealment and made a dash for a tree standing a few yards in advance of his former position; it was only the work of a few seconds, but four shots from the occupiers of the principal building was a significant proof that keen eyes were watching the motions of those who evidently formed the attacking party.
"I see how it is," said Dodge, after a few minutes' consideration, 'tis the bushrangers sure enough, they have taken the hut and have been surprised in it by some people in pursuit of them; it will be a considerable tough job too to turn them out of their quarters."
A tall man now came towards them under shelter of the trees, and the surprise of Hugh and Slinger was great when they discovered in him their fellow passenger, Big Mick. As soon as he recognised them he dropped his gun, seized Hugh by the hand, and danced about wildly in the exuberance of his joy, whooping in such a strange fashion that Dodge stood with his finger upon the trigger of his gun in a state of uncertainty whether he ought not to make use of his weapon without delay: he was soon set right on this point. A bullet from the hut warned them they were observed: it came whistling by and buried itself deeply in a log some distance beyond them. "Sure, my dear gentlemen," were the first intelligible words Mick uttered, after they had all sought shelter behind a large gum tree, "but you are come at the lucky moment, just in time to see all the divelment and fun going on.—Ah! good morning, Mr. Dodge,—you here too?"
"Yes," said Dodge, "here I am; how is your master, and what's the row—bushrangers, Eh?"
"You may say that: them blackguards," Mick replied, with a jerk of his head towards the hut, "have been bothering the neighbourhood lately, and I just heard this morning there
