together, as I shall remain in
Bowen until the next steamer for Somerset calls."

"Right! Oh, by-the-way, Gerry, on your way to Kaburie you will have to
pass a little mining camp called Fraser's Gully. Will you leave a
letter there for me? I'll have it written by the time you come back from
Woodfalls."

As soon as Lacey and Gerrard were out in the street, the latter returned
to his companion with a smile. "So you are to play Mercury for Aulain?"

"Am I? Who is she?"

"A Miss Kate Fraser. Her father is a friend of mine, and Aulain and
she are engaged--at least I think so. But I have heard that there is a
parson in the running, and I don't wonder--for she is a splendid girl."

A walk of a mile brought them to Wood fall's house. Both Woodfall and
his wife were at home, and Lacey at once entered into the subject of
Jim.

"Certainly, Mr Gerrard, we'll take the boy and be glad to have him. But
we won't take payment," said Mrs Woodfall, a big-shouldered woman with a
pleasant, sunburnt face. "Joe, get the buggy, and I'll drive down to the
steamer at once with Mr Gerrard."

Two hours later, Jim was installed at the Woodfall's, and Gerrard was on
his way to Kaburie.

CHAPTER VIII

Along one of the many densely-wooded spurs of Cape Conway, which rears
its bold front from out the pale green waters of Repulse Bay, a young
girl was riding a wild-eyed, long-maned and sweating bay filly, which,
newly broken in, had been making the most frantic efforts to unseat its
rider, whose dark brown hair, escaping from under the light Panama hat
she wore, had fallen down upon her shoulders.

At the summit of the spur there was an open grassy space, free of
timber, and commanding a view seaward, and along the coast north and
south for many miles. Here the girl drew rein and dismounted, deftly
whipped her hair into a loose coil, quickly took off the saddle, placed
it, seat down, upon the ground so that it might dry under the hot sun,
and then slipping the bit from the horse's mouth, let the animal graze
with loose bridle.

"There, my fractious young lady," she said, "you can feed, and as you
feed, I hope you will consider the error of your ways, and give up any
more attempts to buck me off. You ought to know me better by this time."

From a leather saddle-bag she took out some slices of beef and damper,
and leisurely began to eat, her dark brown eyes dreamily scanning the
blue sea before her, and then resting on the green, ver