ll, and he stood staring after the strange visitor with so
vacant an expression of countenance that in spite of his annoyance Mark
burst into a hearty laugh.

"What are you grinning at?" cried Dean angrily.

"Your phiz. Why, whatever does that fellow call himself?"

"A horse stealer!" cried Dean excitedly. "That's what he meant by
coming last night."

"Yes," cried Mark. "Come on and fetch them back."

"All right, sir," said Buck; "but how? You'd want a rifle to fetch him
down."

"Hullo! What does this mean?" cried Sir James, as he joined them, with
the doctor. "Why are the ponies being driven away?"

"That fellow!" cried Mark wildly. "A thief, father!"

"To be sure," said Sir James. "But this is a trick. We have been
imposed upon."

"Yes, father. This is the chap that crawled up in the dark, and I took
for a lion. He's a horse stealer."

"Well, the law will soon set that right."

"Yes," said the doctor, "but it means a long tramp back to the town."

"Say, Dan, old chap, this 'ere's a rum game," whispered Buck. "What do
you think of it?"

"Think I should like to get hold of that long-legged 'un. I'd make him
sing to a different tune instead of giving us another specimen of his
whistlin'."

By this time the ponies were far down the track, headed by their strange
visitor, whom the boys had fully expected from moment to moment to see
leap upon one of his companion's backs.

"Well," said Mark, "this is getting up for a refresher before
breakfast!"

"Yes, sir," said Buck. "It's about spoilt mine. Why didn't you bring
him down last night, Mr Mark? I am sure he desarved it."

"No, he didn't," cried the lad addressed. "Look at that! I say,
father, hooray! He's come back."

The boy was quite right, for it was plain enough now, distant as the
objects were, to see in the clear bright morning their nocturnal visitor
describe a curve upon the open country side and, slackening his pace,
begin trotting back, the little drove of ponies dropping from their
canter into a steady trot, coming nearer and nearer till their leader
brought them to where the party had camped for the night; and here they
drew up short and began to crop the tender green shoots again, while the
strange visitor, who did not seem in the slightest degree out of breath,
drew his long pendent moustachios through his hands.

"Well, sir," said Sir James sharply, "pray, what does this mean?"

"Mean?" said the man sadly. "Ponies