he was putting the whip into
it, he pressed her fingers gently. She did not draw her hand away, but
left it in his clasp: gradually her tears dried, and a smile came into
her face.

"Hullo!" said a strange voice behind them. "Spoonin'? Don't mind me,
mate: I've bin there myself."

They turned their heads, to see four grinning men behind them on the
track.

"Hold on, Carny; step behind the bushes, an' give the couple a chanst.
Boys will be boys. Can't you see the young feller was about to enjoy a
kiss?"

"Take her orf the horse, mate," said another of the men. "Go for a walk
with her--we'll mind the horses. We won't take no notice."

Flushing with anger, Amiria drew herself up.

"You'd better go," said Scarlett. "I'll attend to these men."

Without another word the Maori girl turned her horse's head for home,
walked him quietly past Dolphin and his gang, without taking the least
notice of any of them, and then cantered away.

As she did so the four men burst into hoarse laughter and obscene
remarks.

Scarlett walked menacingly towards Garstang, who had been the chief
offender.

"You filthy brute," he said, "what do you mean?"

"Filthy, eh?" retorted Garstang. "D'you 'ear that, Dolly? An' I suppose
my mates is filthy too, eh, mister?"

"Jab 'im in the mouth, Garstang." This advice from Sweet William.

But Dolphin settled the matter. With a revolver in his hand he stepped
towards the menacing Scarlett.

"Now, hook it," he said. "If you can't take a bit of chaff without
turning nasty, don't think you can get up to any of your funny business
here. I give you three minutes in which to clear."

As Scarlett, following the general practice of the diggers, went
unarmed, he could only reply by acting upon dictation; but before he
turned to go, he looked well at the men before him. Then he mounted his
horse, and rode away.

He quickly forded the stream, and, without turning his head to look
again at the strange gang, he plunged into the dense forest which
stretched across mountain and valley. As he climbed the slopes of the
range over which the track led him, the sun shone brightly and not a
cloud was in the sky. The air was so still that even at the summit of
the range, 2000 feet and more above the sea, not the slightest breeze
stirred. The atmosphere was oppressive, and, three parts of the way down
the further slope, where a clear rivulet crossed the path, Jack was fain
to rest beneath the shade of a giant t