or attacking and plundering, sometimes even murdering,
solitary travellers.

Mr. Edmonds, Repton's master, had a house in a somewhat lonely position,
half-a-mile or more from any neighbour. He was, however, a man prepared
for all emergencies, and, as he was known to be well provided with
fire-arms, and not afraid to use them, his house had hitherto been left
unmolested.

One night, however--a dark, stormy night--Repton was roused by the sound
of steel grating against something. Listening more intently, he heard
whispers, and finally came to the conclusion that men were trying to
force open the house-door. Then it suddenly flashed into Repton's mind
that Mr. Edmonds had been summoned hastily away that very evening by a
message from a sick friend on the other side of the town, and there was
no one in the house but a young nursemaid to protect the mistress and
her little girl.

Hastily flinging on his clothes, he crept up in the darkness, and,
getting behind the two men, who had by this time almost forced the door,
he felled one of them to the ground with a well-aimed blow. The other,
however, turned savagely on Repton, and the two were soon locked in
fight. The burglar was, however, the heavier man of the two, and things
were going badly for Repton, whose strength was all but exhausted, when
the welcome sound of horses' hoofs was heard, and Mr. Edmonds came
galloping up.

'Help, help, master!' cried Repton. 'Here, I cannot hold him much
longer!'

Mr. Edmonds sprang from his horse, and came to him, and, with the lad's
help, both burglars were bound hand and foot, and left in an outhouse
till the police could fetch them away.

Then Repton's turn came, and his master shook him by the hand, convict
though he was, and thanked him for his bravery, and he was taken
indoors, where Mrs. Repton with her own hands brought some soothing
lotion to bathe his wounds.

Nor was this the end. Mr. Edmonds, who had great influence with the
Governor, obtained in time a free pardon for Repton, and set him up in
business, and now some of the most respected families in Australia are
the descendants of Repton the Convict.

[Illustration: "The two were soon locked in fight."]

[Illustration: "Soon all three were scooping up handfuls of
cartridges."]

AFLOAT ON THE DOGGER BANK.

A Story of Adventure on the North Sea and in China.

(_Continued from page 379._)

CHAPTER XXII.

'Here they come,' Ping Wang said, and as he sp