be off."

"But I don't like the idea of getting nabbed by the police. I'm well
known, and curse 'em, there'd be a jolly time in Melbourne if they could
put the hemp around my neck."

"Your neck's no more precious than mine," replied the second bushranger;
"I for one don't quit this place till I've cut the throat of every man
in the hut. I'll learn 'em to attack our people. They shall be made
examples of."

"Well, Jim," replied the milder ruffian, "if you have set your heart on
fighting 'em, why, I'll stand by. But let's make short work of it, and
storm the hut without delay."

"And lose half of our gang, hey?" answered the bushranger. "There's good
marksmen in the hut, as the death of Sam just now should convince you.
We can't afford to throw away men, as we've none too many to do the
work."

"Then how are we going to get at 'em?"

"I'll tell you the plan I've hit on, and I think we needn't lose more
than one man in putting it into execution. Remove every thing from that
cart, and let half a dozen men keep up a brisk fire in front of the hut,
while I with the rest, will take the team to the back of the shanty. We
can push it close under the roof and shelter ourselves from the fire of
those within, if they discover the trick, which I don't think they will.
By starting a board or two, without much noise, we can command every
part of the room, and pour in half a dozen volleys without being
injured."

"That is a deused good idea, and I'll go and tell the boys. They've got
hold of that keg of rum, and I suppose I shall have hard work to choke
'em off; but they must leave it for a while, and attend to business."

The two bushrangers, who appeared to be the leaders of the gang,
separated, one stealing towards the object of his attack, and the other
hastening in the direction of the ford which crossed the
stream--possibly where the men were carousing.

"My poor goods," whined Smith, "the cursed brutes have stolen them all.
I wish that keg of rum had a pound of arsenic in it; there would be some
consolation in knowing that the devils were destroying themselves."

"Hush!" cried Fred, for that instant the growl of the dog gave token
that some one was approaching. With one hand on the animal's leather
collar to restrain him, and another on his massive jaws, we waited his
approach.

The bushranger walked with hasty step towards us, and then suddenly
stopping, he spoke aloud,--

"Jim," he said, evidently thinking that