him some day when we meet. Meanwhile I feel half-disposed to give
his countryman a sound thrashing as part payment of the debt in
advance."

"Ah! sure, sor, me counthryman'll let ye off the dibt, no doubt,"
returned Flinders.

"Hallo! you seem to have found your tongue all of a sudden!"

"F-faix, then, it's b-bekaise of yer not houndin' me on. I c-c-can't
stand bein' hurried, ye s-see. B-besides, I was havin' me little
j-j-joke, an' I scarcely sp-splutter at all whin I'm j-j-jokin'."

"Where did you come from?" demanded the chief, sharply.

"From P-Pine Tree D-Diggin's."

"Oh, indeed? When did you leave the camp?"

"On M-Monday mornin', sor."

"Then of course you don't know anything about the fight that took place
there on Monday night!"

"D-don't I, sor?"

"Why don't you answer whether you do or not?" said Stalker, beginning to
lose temper.

"Sh-shure yer towld me th-that I d-d-don't know, an I'm too p-p-purlite
to c-contradic' yer honour."

"Bah! you're a fool."

"Ye t-t-towld me that before, sor."

The robber chief took no notice of the reply, but led his lieutenant
aside and held a whispered conversation with him for a few minutes.

Now, among other blessings, Flinders possessed a pair of remarkably
acute ears, so that, although he could not make out the purport of the
whispered conversation, he heard, somewhat indistinctly, the words
"Bevan" and "Betty." Coupling these words with the character of the men
around him, he jumped to a conclusion and decided on a course of action
in one and the same instant.

Presently Stalker returned, and addressing himself to Tom and Fred,
said--

"Now, sirs, I know not your circumstances nor your plans, but I'll take
the liberty of letting you know something of mine. Men give me and my
boys bad names. We call ourselves Free-and-easy Boys. We work hard for
our living. It is our plan to go round the country collecting taxes--
revenue--or whatever you choose to call it, and punishing those who
object to pay. Now, we want a few stout fellows to replace the brave
men who have fallen at the post of duty. Will you join us?"

"Certainly not," said Fred, with decision.

"Of course not," said Tom, with contempt.

"Well, then, my fine fellows, you may follow your own inclinations, for
there's too many willing boys around to make us impress unwilling ones,
but I shall take the liberty of relieving you of your possessions. I
will tax _you_ to the full amoun