like that."

"Pretty sort of fellow you were to go to sleep," I returned, bitterly.

"Didn't go to sleep," grumbled Esau. "Only shut my eyes for a moment."

"There, don't make paltry excuses," I said, angrily.

"Dare say you two was asleep too," he said, sulkily. "I say, have they
killed poor old Gunson?"

"Don't--don't--don't!" I whispered, piteously; and in spite of the pain
it gave me, I rolled myself over and struggled along, till at last,
after a terrible struggle, I reached Gunson's side.

"Mr Gunson," I said; "Mr Gunson, pray, pray speak."

He uttered a low groan, and it sent a thrill of joy through me.

"Hurray!" whispered Esau; "he ain't dead. I say, can't we get untied
and drop on to them now when they don't expect it?"

"Impossible," I said, bitterly, "they've got the rifles too."

"Oh, I say," groaned Esau, "ain't it too bad, Mayne Gordon! Just as we
was all going to be rich, and now we shall be cheated out of it all.
Only wish I could get my hands undone."

What he would have done I cannot say, for his hands were tied fast, and
we lay there listening to the talking and coarse laughter of the men
about the fire, and a faint groan now and then from Mr Gunson, till the
day began to break; and as the sun lit up the misty valley, and shot its
bright, golden arrows through the trees, the men rose, and two of them
took hold of Mr Gunson's head and heels, and carried him out into the
open. "Dead?" said one of them.

"Not he. Take a harder crack to kill him," said the big fellow. "Bring
out them two boys and lay 'em here. I'm going to hold a court."

"Here, mind what you're doing," cried Esau, as he was lifted. "You
hurt."

"Hold your row, warmint," growled one of his hearers; and as Esau kicked
out viciously, they threw him down by Gunson just as if he was a sack of
wheat.

"All right, cowards," exclaimed Esau, viciously. "I'll serve you out
for this."

I set my teeth hard, so as not to make a sound, though they hurt me
horribly, and I too was thrown down on the grass near the fire, while
the big leader seated himself on a stone, took out and filled his pipe,
lit it with a burning brand, and then began to smoke, while the men
formed a circle round.

"Now then, young 'un," the big ruffian said to me, "speak up, and we
shan't hurt you, but if you don't tell the whole truth, one of my mates
here will take you into the woods there, and use his knife."

"And then you'll be hung," said E