be
beyond control, and bloodshed would follow if the advancing Chinamen
tried to come on to the field. But, nevertheless, he was thoroughly in
sympathy with them. The advent of these Chinese--probably but an advance
guard of many hundreds--would simply mean ruination to himself and his
mates, just as their prospects were so bright. The men looked upon him
as their leader, and he must act--and act quickly.

"Let them come along, boys. Then we'll bail them up as soon as they come
abreast of us, and have a little 'talkee, talkee' with them. But for
heaven's sake try and keep cool, and I daresay when they see we look
ugly at them, they'll trot on. How many of you have guns of any kind?"

Four rifles and two shot guns were quickly produced, and then every one
waited till the first of the Chinese appeared, marching one behind the
other. The foremost man was dressed in European clothes, and the moment
Scott saw him, he exclaimed--

"Why, it's Jimmy Ah San! I used to know him at Gympie in the old times.
He's not a bad sort of a Chow. Come on, boys!"

Grainger, who was not just then well enough to go with them, but
remained in his seat with his revolver on his knee, could not help
smiling at the sudden halt and terrified looks of the Chinese, when
Scott and the others drew up in front of them with their weapons at the
present. Half of them at once dropped their baskets and darted off into
the bush, the rest crowding together like a flock of terrified sheep.
The leader, however, came steadily on. Scott stepped out and met him.

"Good-morning. What do you and all your crowd want here?"

"Nothing," replied the Chinaman quietly, in excellent English, "nothing
but to get down to the creek and camp for a few days. But why do you all
come out with guns? We cannot do you any harm."

"Just so. But we can do _you_ a lot if you try on any games, Mr. Jimmy
Ah San."

"Ah, you know me then," said the man, looking keenly at Scott.

"Yes, I do, an' you're all right enough. But me an' my mates is going
to keep this field for white men--it ain't goin' to be no Chinaman's
digging'. So what's yer move?"

"Only what I said. Look at my men! We do not want to stop here; we wish
to push along to the coast. Some of them are dying from exhaustion, and
my pack-horses can hardly go another quarter of a mile."

Soott scratched his chin meditatively, and then consulted with his
mates. He, although so rough in his speech, was not a bad-natured ma