bout you scores of
times; and Mr Abraham's name's well-known all over the colony."

Hubert went to his uncle with the information.

"What can we do?" he asked; "I'll gladly go to him, if you can spare me
for a few days."

Jacob Poole, who was in the office, and had heard the conversation, now
interposed,--

"Oh, Mayster Oliphant, let me go to him. I'm more used to roughing it
nor you. I'll see to poor Mayster Frank. I can't forget what he's done
for me; and maybe, if God spares him, and that rascal Juniper Graves
keeps out of the road, he'll do well yet."

This plan commended itself to Mr Oliphant and his nephew, and it was
resolved that Jacob should go at once. His master furnished him with
what he needed, and bade him send word to him if he should find himself
in any trouble or difficulty.

"You'll find him out easy enough," said the bullock-driver to Mr
Oliphant, "for there's a party of mounted police setting off this
afternoon for the Murray, and the crossing's only about two miles lower
down than the hut. If he as goes joins the police, he'll be there in
half the time it took me to come up."

So it was arranged that Jacob should start immediately.

"And never mind," said Mr Oliphant, "about the time of your coming
back. If you can be of any service to your poor young master by staying
on with him, do so. And keep with him altogether if he wishes to take
you again into his service. It may keep him from the drink, now that
vagabond's taken himself off, though I'll be bound he hasn't gone empty-
handed. Should you wish, however, Jacob, to come back again to me,
either now or at any future time, I'll find you a place, for I can
always make an opening for a stanch total abstainer."

Jacob's preparations were soon made. He furnished himself with all
necessaries, and then joined the party of police on a stout little bush
horse, and started that afternoon on his journey. It was drawing
towards the evening of the second day after their departure from
Adelaide, when they came in sight of the river Murray, where a long
shelving bank of reeds, like a small forest, intervened between
themselves and the river. The country all round them was wild and
wooded, with little to remind of civilised man except the tracks of
bullock-drays.

"And here we part," said the leader of the police. "I've no doubt
you'll soon reach the hut you're seeking if you keep along the bank of
the river; but be sure you don't lose