ything be better? I made
up my mind that this Raffles was the man I wanted, and was awfully sold
to find next moment that he wasn't a high official at all. Nor had the
doctor so much as met him, but had merely read of him in connection
with a small sensation at the suburban branch which my namesake
managed; an armed robber had been rather pluckily beaten off, with a
bullet in him, by this Raffles; and the sort of thing was so common out
there that this was the first I had heard of it! A suburban branch--my
financier had faded into some excellent fellow with a billet to lose if
he called his soul his own. Still a manager was a manager, and I said I
would soon see whether this was the relative I was looking for, if he
would be good enough to give me the name of that branch.

"'I'll do more,' says the doctor. 'I'll get you the name of the branch
he's been promoted to, for I think I heard they'd moved him up one
already.' And the next day he brought me the name of the township of
Yea, some fifty miles north of Melbourne; but, with the vagueness which
characterized all his information, he was unable to say whether I
should find my relative there or not.

"'He's a single man, and his initials are W. F.,' said the doctor, who
was certain enough of the immaterial points. 'He left his old post
several days ago, but it appears he's not due at the new one till the
New Year. No doubt he'll go before then to take things over and settle
in. You might find him up there and you might not. If I were you I
should write.'

"'That'll lose two days,' said I, 'and more if he isn't there,' for I'd
grown quite keen on this up-country manager, and I felt that if I could
get at him while the holidays were still on, a little conviviality
might help matters considerably.

"'Then,' said the doctor, 'I should get a quiet horse and ride. You
needn't use that hand.'

"'Can't I go by train?'

"'You can and you can't. You would still have to ride. I suppose
you're a horseman?'

"'Yes.'

"'Then I should certainly ride all the way. It's a delightful road,
through Whittlesea and over the Plenty Ranges. It'll give you some
idea of the bush, Mr. Raffles, and you'll see the sources of the water
supply of this city, sir. You'll see where every drop of it comes
from, the pure Yan Yean! I wish I had time to ride with you.'

"'But where can I get a horse?'

"The doctor thought a moment.

"'I've a mare of my own that's as fat as butter