before dark; but we took
care to watch them all night for fear of accidents. It wouldn't do to
let 'em out of our sight about there. We should never have set eyes on
'em again, and we knew a trick worth two of that.

Next day, pretty early, we got to Barnes's, where we thought we should
be welcome. It was all right. The old man laughed all over his face when
he saw us, and the girls couldn't do enough for us when they heard we'd
had scarce a morsel to eat or drink that day.

'Why, you're looking first-rate, Captain!' says Bella. 'Dick, I hardly
knowed ye--the mountain air seems to agree with you. Maddie and I
thought you was never going to look in no more. Thought you'd clean
forgot us--didn't we, Mad? Why, Dick, what a grand beard you've grown! I
never thought you was so handsome before!'

'I promised you a trifling present when I was here last, didn't I,
Bella?' says Starlight. 'There.' He handed her a small parcel carefully
tied up. 'It will serve to remind you of a friend.'

'Oh, what a lovely, splendid duck of a watch!' says the girl, tearing
open the parcel. 'And what a love of a chain! and lots of charms, too.
Where, in all the world, did you get this? I suppose you didn't buy it
in George Street.'

'It WAS bought in George Street,' says he; 'and here's the receipt; you
needn't be afraid of wearing it to church or anywhere else. Here's Mr.
Flavelle's name, all straight and square. It's quite new, as you can
see.'

Jim and I stared. Dad was outside, seeing the horses fed, with Warrigal.
We made sure at first it was Mrs. Buxter's watch and chain; but he knew
better than to give the girl anything that she could be brought into
trouble for wearing, if it was identified on her; so he'd sent the cash
down to Sydney, and got the watch sent up to him by one of father's
pals. It was as right as the bank, and nobody could touch it or her
either. That was Starlight all over; he never seemed to care much
for himself. As to anything he told a woman, she'd no call to trouble
herself about whether it would be done or not.

'It'll be my turn next,' says Maddie. 'I can't afford to wait
till--till--the Captain leaves me that beauty horse of his. It's too
long. I might be married before that, and my old man cut up rough. Jim
Marston, what are you going to give me? I haven't got any earrings worth
looking at, except these gold hoops that everybody knows.'

'All right,' says Jim. 'I'll give you and Bell a pair each, if you'r