their ears to all and sundry, save and except to those who cried out,
"String the riptile up--sarves him right!"

Ko-sing also sat on the tree-stump, endeavouring to comfort Ah-wow by
stroking his pig-tail and howling occasionally in an undertone. It
seemed indeed that the poor man's career was drawing to a close, for two
men advanced, and, seizing his pinioned arms, led him under the fatal
limb; but a short respite occurred in consequence of a commotion in the
outskirts of the crowd, where two men were seen forcing a passage
towards the centre. Ned Sinton and Larry O'Neil had been away in the
mountains prospecting at the time when Ah-wow was captured and led to
the settlement, near the first residence of our adventurers, to stand
his trial. The others accompanied the condemned man, in order, if
possible, to save him, leaving Jones behind to guard their property, and
acquaint Ned with the state of affairs on his return. Our hero knew too
well the rapid course of Lynch law to hesitate. He started at once with
Larry down the stream, to save, if possible, the life of his servant,
for whom he felt a curious sort of patronising affection, and who he was
sure must be innocent. He arrived just in time.

"Howld on, boys," cried Larry, flourishing his felt hat as they pushed
through the crowd.

"Stay, friends," cried Ned, gaining the centre of the circle at last;
"don't act hastily. This man is my servant."

"_That_ don't make him an honest man, I guess," said a cynical
bystander.

"Perhaps not," retorted Ned; "but it binds me in honour to clear him, if
I can."

"Hear, hear," said several voices; "get up on the stump an' fire away,
stranger."

Ned obeyed.

"Gentlemen," he began, "I can swear, in the first place, that the
Chinaman has not been a quarter of a mile from my tent for three weeks
past, so that he could not have stolen the gold--"

"How then came it beside his tent?" inquired a voice.

"I'll tell you, if you will listen. This morning early I started on a
prospecting ramble up the stream, and not long after I set out I caught
a glance of that villain Black Jim, who, you know, has been supposed for
some time back to have been lurking in the neighbourhood. He ran off
the moment he caught sight of me, and although I followed him at full
speed for a considerable distance, he succeeded in escaping. However, I
noticed the print of his footsteps, in a muddy place over which he
passed, and observed that