to the present aspect of affairs, a brisk fire had been exchanged between the combatants, but no material damage had been done to either side. A shot from Dodge was quickly answered from the hut.
"You see," said Dodge to our friends, "it can't be expected that you care much about this kind of thing, but when I'm in a mess I like to be in the thick of it, so I shall take up a position where I can rake the hut and be in closer communication with the more active of the assailants." He left Raymond and Slinger, and his presence in the midst of the fray was announced to them by three cheers. As if by one consent the whole direction of the attack was placed in his hands, and he was not long in disposing the means at his command in the most advantageous manner. He drew off a number of men, and amongst them Hugh and Slinger, and stationed them under shelter of the store which commanded one end of the hut, and with these he continued more particularly to act. As the day drew on the firing from the hut grew more slack, and at last almost ceased. A council of war was held, at which a feeling prevailed, from which, however, Dodge dissented, that the time was come for making a general attack and taking the bushrangers' strong hold by storm. Dodge proposed that a parley should be held with the enemy, and since they must have become convinced that escape was almost hopeless, he trusted the affair might be settled without bloodshed. It became a question who was to be the adventurous diplomatist, and all eyes were turned on Dodge. After ordering offensive operations to cease, he silently left the assembly, and in a few moments returned with a piece of white linen tied to the end of a stick. Our readers must not be too curious to know from whence the rag was procured, but it answered the end intended admirably. After flourishing it at arm's length for a short time, Dodge roared out at the top of his by
