start with Sergeant Cameron and Constable Tyler."

Hardcastle yawned again.

"I should like to have been with you, but there are compensations," said
he. "I doubt if I shall even stay up to see you off."

"If you did you would sit up alone," returned the Superintendent. "I
intend to turn in myself for three or four hours; and it will be in the
face of all my wishes, sergeant, if you and Tyler do not do the same. No
reason to tell him what a short night it's to be; it might prevent a
young fellow like that from getting any sleep at all. Merely let it be
arranged that we all turn in betimes in view of an early start; we three
alone need know how early the start will be."

They had their simple dinner at half-past seven, when the detective took
it on himself to entertain the party, and succeeded so well that the
entertainment was continued on the veranda for the better part of
another hour. Doubled up in his chair, abnormal, weird, he recounted in
particular the exploits of Stingaree (included a garbled version of the
recent fiasco across the Murray) with a zest only equalled by his
confidant undertaking to avenge the death of Robert Duncan before
another day was out; all listened in a rapt silence, and the younger men
were duly disappointed when the party broke up prematurely between nine
and ten. But they also had played their part in a fatiguing week; by the
later hour all were in their rooms, and before very long Rosanna Station
lay lighted only by the full white moon of New South Wales.

Cameron wondered if it could possibly be two o'clock, while Tyler sat up
insensate with the full weight of his first sleep, when their chief
crept into the double-bedded room in which the two policemen had been
put. He owned himself before his time by an hour and more, but explained
that he had an idea which had only struck him as he was about to fall
asleep.

"If we hunt for the fellow in the dark," said he, "we may give him the
alarm before we come on him. But if we go now there is at least a chance
that we may find his fire to guide us. I am aware I said he wouldn't
light one there, but everybody knows that Stingaree uses a spirit-lamp.
In any case it's a chance, and with a desperate man like that we can't
afford to give the ghost of a chance away."

The sergeant dressed without more ado, as did his subordinate on
learning the nature of their midnight errand; meanwhile the disturber of
slumbers was gone to the horse-yard to