nce to decide
how to act.

"I have a bright idea," exclaimed Guy; "I tell you what we will do.
We'll gag these two fellows to prevent them from crying out, and drag
them behind those bushes close to the camp. You, Maurice, and the
black, being also concealed, must threaten to shoot them if they attempt
to make any noise. Hector and I will then take their places at the
fire, and pretend to be cooking the breakfast. As there will not be
much light for some time, the other men when they return will not at
first discover us, and we shall be able to point our rifles and order
them to give in before they are aware of the trap we have laid. To make
things more certain, we'll put on our prisoners' cabbage straw hats and
red shirts, so that the chances are that they will get close up before
they find out their mistake."

Hector and I highly approving of Guy's suggestion, we immediately set
about putting it into execution. The black, who, being a remarkably
intelligent fellow, fully understood our object, seemed highly
delighted, grinning from ear to ear, as he assisted us.

We quickly gagged our prisoners, and then, dragging them behind the
bushes, took off their shirts and hats, which, as they were far from
clean, I was secretly glad I had not got to wear. Guy and Hector put
them on, and then examining the fire-arms to ascertain if they were
properly loaded, drew them close to the fire, before which they sat
down. While one turned the spits on which they had put some meat to
roast, the other employed himself in chopping up sticks and placing them
on the fire. So exactly did they act the parts in which we had found
our present prisoners engaged, that I felt sure the other men would not
suspect the trap laid for them until they were close up to the camp. It
was to be hoped that both would come at the same time, for if not,
though we might seize one, the other would probably be warned, and make
his escape. There was a risk, of course, that they would come across
the dominie and the horses, and if so, would guess that we had
discovered their camp, and would at all events be on their guard. Guy
had, however, especially charged the dominie that should the bushrangers
by any accident discover him, he was to keep them at a distance by
threatening to fire if they approached.

While my brother and Hector were bending over the fire as I have
described, I kept peering through the bushes, keeping one eye on our two
prisoners