s right smart, too, at holding a business meeting, so when I'd ate
cranberry pie, which is a sort of compliment from the mine, and the boys
has some of Brown's tea as a donation from me, the convention sits down
solemn to talk robbers.

Moved and seconded that hold-ups ain't encouraged in her majesty's
dominions, and we hands these robbers to the constable as his lawful
meat, but we got to get 'em first.

Resolved that there's money in it. The owners of them cattle had ought
to be grateful and show their gratitude, 'cause otherwise the stock is
apt to scatter. Proposed that we hit the trail right away, with Iron
Dale for leader. Carried, with symptoms of toothache disabling one of
his men.

Dale told off O'Flynn and Branscombe to stampede the cattle just at
glint of dawn, sending 'em past the cave, and shooting and yelling as if
there was no hereafter. That should interest the robbers, and bring them
out of the cave which overlooks our pasture. Looking down at a sharp
angle, they weren't likely to hit our riders, whereas our posse, posted
in good cover with a steady aim, could attend to the robbers with
promptness and despatch.

Crossing the ferry our main outfit left Billy and Branscombe to start
drifting the cattle southward, while we rode on to take up our positions
around the cave. With dawn coming on, and Kate alone in that shack, I
wanted the boys to gallop, whereas Dale said he'd no use for broken
legs. The night was dark as a wolf's mouth.

In the ruined shack, half-way to our home, Kate was to have a candle,
screened so that it could only be seen from our trail. As soon as we
rose the edge of the bench, and a mile before we would reach the shack,
I seen the candle and knew that she was safe. We passed my fence, we
crossed the half-mile creek, we gathered speed along the open pasture,
and then Kate's yell went through me like a knife. The robbers must have
had a man on night herd, and found her by that light!

Dale's hand grabbed my rein, and with a growl he halted our whole
outfit. "Steady," says he, "you fool!" Then in a whisper, as his men
came crowding in: "Dismount! Ransome, hold horses! Sam, take three men
afoot round the rear of that cabin. I take the rest to close in the
front. Siwash, and Nitchie Scott, find enemy's horses and drift them
away out of reach. No man to whisper, no man to make a sound, until I
lift my hand at that cabin window. After that, kill any man who tries to
escape. Get a move