remarked, as he looked down at the prostrate figure.

They carried him into the shadow of the scrub and poured some water from
the creek over his head. Then they left him to recover, while they gave
their attention to the meal which had been so unceremoniously postponed.

When they had finished, they turned their attention again to Gleeson.
But they had not hurried over their meal, having little care or
consideration for him; and he, recovering consciousness while yet they
were engaged, felt no qualms about making his retreat as quickly and as
quietly as possible. Aching in every bone, and with every muscle
bruised, he crept away through the shelter of the scrub, not daring to
look for the swag he had thrown down, or the hat which had been knocked
from his head. There was only one instinct or desire in his being--the
instinct which drives the wounded rat back to its hole to die, the
instinct of self-preservation working in its meanest range. His swagger
and bluster had been hopelessly crushed out of him by the vigour of
Palmer Billy's attack; and to have been, as he considered, twice
deserted by his own comrades, rendered his subjugation even more
complete.

By the time that his flight was discovered he had over half an hour's
start. The opinion as to the direction he had taken was unanimous--he
must have gone back to the other creek to join his mate Walker.

"You slip over and pass the word along the creek," Palmer Billy said to
Tony. "Tell the boys we were keeping him for them to deal with when they
found how they'd been sold. They'll be about fit to boil him when they
find out they're all sold."

"If a few of them come along," Peters said, "we can run him down in a
few hours, and then we can----"

"Roast him," Palmer Billy interrupted savagely.

"Better let him get bushed. It's a hundred chances to one if he'll
travel far after the hammering you gave him," Tony said.

"No, that would be cruel," Palmer Billy exclaimed. "He's only a mining
shark, but still, white men ain't cruel."

So Tony left them, and returned to the creek in full expectation of
finding Gleeson there before him. But as he approached the slope which
extended down from the level track to the creek, he was astonished to
see his own horse and Gleeson's quietly feeding, with their bridles,
broken, trailing from their heads. To catch and mount his own was soon
accomplished, and he rode on to the creek.

His approach was entirely ignored by the