t
he had seen a white man galloping away through the woods--that the
stranger was very well mounted, and that he could not overtake him.
This confirmed Mr Ramsay's suspicions that the blacks had been set on
to attack the station by some white man, though as yet he had no idea
who that person could be. The black prisoners were brought before him,
and he examined them by means of the sergeant of the black police. It
was a long business, for it was not always easy to understand the
sergeant himself. However, at length Mr Ramsay came to the conclusion
that the culprit was a stockman or shepherd living in the neighbourhood.

While the prisoners were carried to the station, Mr Ramsay went round
to call at the huts of the stockmen. The first he reached was that of
Peach. Neither he nor his mate were within. A kettle was on the hearth
boiling, and a damper baking below. The provision casks were open, and
pork and meal had evidently been taken from them in a hurry. Their guns
and ammunition had also been carried off. There were other signs that
the occupants of the hut had escaped in a hurry.

"We need not search farther," said Mr Ramsay with a sigh. "I thought
that Peach was an honest man, but things are much against him at
present."

Several of the men now spoke out, and said that they had no doubt that
Peach was a rogue, that they had long thought him one, and that they
were always surprised that the master trusted him.

"It would have been doing me a service if you had spoken before," said
Mr Ramsay; "I might then have prevented Peach from committing an act
for which he will be transported, if he escapes hanging."

It is to be hoped that they saw their error. Servants, by not giving
warning of the misdeeds of others, often injure their employers and
themselves, and do harm rather than good to those they wish to serve.

It was a happy day for Joseph Rudge and his wife when their children
were restored to them as strong and well as ever; and truly grateful
were they to Heaven for the mercy which had been shown them. Rough old
Mat shed tears of joy when he took little Mary in his arms.

"To think that this little tiny creature should have gone on so many
days without eating or drinking, when I have known strong men, who have
lost their way, die in less time," he exclaimed as he kissed her again
and again.

"But God watches over the young and innocent. He watches over us all,
mate, and we old ones should kn