him at his lawyer's and press his claim, some arrangement should be made. The conversation which had been carried on half in joke and half in earnest was terminated by Bathey, who declared that the colony presented no encouragement for men of liberal education.
After the greater number of those recently engaged in the struggle had departed with their prisoners, the few who remained, amongst whom were Dodge and his two friends, prepared to spend the night in their present quarters, and to render such assistance to the wounded as circumstances permitted.
It was good to see the delicate attentions rendered to the sufferers by the old bushman. His every word and action assorted but indifferently with the usual bluntness of his manner, and showed clearly enough that the rust of bush habits and associations had not materially affected his naturally humane and generous heart.
As night set in there was something truly solemn in the surrounding scene. The silence which prevailed was only broken occasionally by the moans of the sufferers, made doubly touching to the watchers by the knowledge that no efficient medical aid could possibly reach them for many hours. At intervals the crash of falling trees in the distance was heard, which had been ignited by the late fire, and their glowing embers dotted the country round for many miles. A line of light spread along the distant horizon and showed that the fire was still unsubdued.
Neither Mr. Robberson nor Bayley had spoken since they had been brought into the hut, excepting to ask for water, which they drank eagerly. Whilst Slinger was administering some to the bushranger, Bayley fixed his eyes upon him earnestly, and seizing his hand retained it for some time, and then motioned him to stoop that he might speak to him. "I hoped to have
