ave, at present--and it needs a man of
great resolution, and intelligence. I am sure that you have plenty
of both, and that I cannot make a better choice than in sending you
there. Your age is the only thing against you--not with me, you
know, but others may think that I have done wrong, in selecting so
young an officer--but you see, I know my man. I know, too, that
several of the inspectors are getting too old for this sort of
work. I do not mean too old, perhaps, in point of years, but they
are married men with families, and for desperate work I prefer men
without encumbrances.

"The post should be held by an inspector, but I cannot promote you,
at present. It would be putting you over the heads of too many. But
you will have a good chance of earning early promotion, and I know
that is what you like."

"Thank you very much, Captain Wilson. I will do my best to show
myself worthy of your confidence."

"You will have all your work cut out for you, Reuben. The district
has, all along, been a most troublesome one. The number of
settlers, at present, is small. There is a good deal of higher bush
than usual about it, which makes it very difficult to run these
fellows down; and the natives are specially troublesome. Besides
which, at present there are two or three of the worst gangs of bush
rangers in the colony, somewhere in that country. You will have to
be cautious as well as bold, Reuben. It is a dangerous service I am
sending you on; still, the more danger, the more credit to you."

"You could not have given me a station I should have liked better;
and I hope, ere long, I may be able to give you a good account of
the bush rangers."

"And now, Reuben, if you will call again in an hour, I shall be
free, and then I will drive you home. You need not start for a day
or two; and you will, of course, stay with me till you do."

Chapter 10: An Up-Country District.

Mrs. Wilson received Reuben, as usual, with the greatest
cordiality; but she exclaimed loudly, when she heard that he was
going to the Goora district.

"You don't mean it, George. You can't mean that you are going to
send Reuben to that dreadful place. Why, we are always hearing of
murders and robberies there; and you know the last inspector was
killed; and the one before recalled, because you said he had lost
his nerve; and now you are sending Reuben there!"

"But I look upon it as the greatest honour, Mrs. Wilson, being
chosen for such a station;