ell, examine the hut at all events," replied Fred; and bidding Bimbo
walk to the house, we followed close at his heels, and threatened him
with the fangs of the dog when he hesitated.

By the time we had reached the station hut, the policemen were just
depositing Gulpin near the door, having brought him in a blanket from
the spot where he fell. The wretch was suffering great pain, and huge
beads of perspiration were streaming down his forehead from its effects.
The men had stripped off the leg of his trousers, and revealed bones
protruding near the knee. But little blood flowed from the wound where
the ball had penetrated, and I considered it, with my imperfect
knowledge of surgery, as looking decidedly bad for saving the robber
chief's life.

I stooped down, and sought to examine the limb, but with horrid
imprecations, the bushranger ordered me off, and swore that no one but a
regular physician should attend him.

As we were over a hundred miles from Melbourne, and there was not a
doctor, probably, between us and that city, I gave the man up for lost,
and so I told the lieutenant, who merely shrugged his shoulders, and
declared that there would be one the less to hang, and that it was
always bad travelling with wounded men in company.

"Let that man be kept within musket shot," said Murden, pointing to the
guilty Bimbo, who was still snivelling, and endeavoring to excite our
sympathies.

"And what shall we do with this poor wretch?" Fred asked, gazing with
pity at the prostrate form of the robber chief, who, an hour before, was
a model of health and strength.

"What can we do?" asked the officer, with a puzzled expression.

"I am no surgeon," replied Fred, "but I will, if the poor wretch is
willing, attempt to amputate the limb, and it may be the means of saving
his life."

"Save it for a halter, hey?" asked Gulpin, opening his eyes; and for a
moment they were lighted up with a fierce fire, that showed the bitter
hatred which the man entertained against his captors.

"That is not for me to judge," replied Fred; "I offer to save your life,
if possible, and you must depend upon the courts of Melbourne whether it
is continued."

The outlaw shook his head, and after wetting his parched lips with water
exclaimed,--

"I would rather die as I am; no surgeon's knife shall hack my flesh
while living, and I'm too far from the big town to think they will
string my bones on wires after death. I shall live; and if the