Part 22

The road passed the caves about two hundred yards from where the party lay. Presently, with increasing clatter, Ben Bolt rode furiously along, and after a minute's interval, Sergeant Hennessey, accompanied by two troopers, the Sergeant leading by about fifty yards. Just as he was in the act of passing, the officer took a snap-shot at the 'ranger. In a few minutes all sight and even sound of pursued and pursuers had gone.

"No fear of Ben Bolt trubblin' us now fer a spell. 'Ope Hennessey 'll nab 'im sure this time. Let's moosey erlong, lads."

It didn't take the party long to pick up the steeds and load up the packhorses with the fish. The sun had barely set ere they were well on the last stage of the return journey.

The M'Intyres are just concluding the evening meal. The conversation chiefly centres around the campers. Mrs. M'Intyre had given many a look along the track during the afternoon, in the hope of sighting the lads. The understanding when they left was that they were to return at the end of the second week. It was now Saturday evening.

"I won't give them up till ten o'clock. I expect they have made a late start. Yes, Maggie, I own that I am a bit fidgety now that I've heard that Ben Bolt has been seen in the vicinity of the caves."

"Weel, ye can juist ease yure mind on that pint, my dear, for the Sairgeant and a pairty o' troopers are patrolling in that direection, so that there's no' the sma'est pairtical o' reesk."

"It was lucky for them, mummie, that they had started for their trip before the revised version of the engagement between the police and the bushrangers was published, for had you known of the mistake you would never have let the boys go. What are they going to do with the youth that Hennessey wounded? They say Ben Bolt's mad over it, and swears to have Hennessey's life."

"The misguided lad wull be pit on his trial as sune as the wound on his thigh permeets."

"Do you think they'll hang him, father?"

"Nae, nae, they'll no' hang the chiel; he has never ta'en life, nor is he a hardened ruffian. He stairted this wild life 'for the fun o' it,' like mony another silly laddie. The Sairgeant tells me that Jock Smith, for that's his name, is gled to be captured. His eyes hae been opened to the folly and sin that are compreehended in sic a life. Insteed o' fun, he has encountered nought but hairdship and meesery. The misguided laddie wull hae plenty o' time for repentance."

The evening calm is suddenly and noisily disturbed. The station dogs set up a great babble of barking, and Jessie, who had gone out to the front verandah, comes running in helter skelter and screaming--

"Father, mother, hear the dogs! It's the boys, I bet tuppence. Hurrah! Hurrah!----"

"Jessie, Jessie! you are certainly developing very----"

Mrs. Mac is prosing without an audience, for the girls are flying along the track to the slip-rails, accompanied by the barking dogs.

It was verging on midnight when the Bullaroi household broke up. The adventures were told with a degree of modesty to an intensely interested and at times breathless company. The spoils of the sea and the spoils of the mine were displayed to the admiration of all. Mrs. M'Intyre gave high praise to the pals for their success as fish-curers; while the gold spoke for itself, needing no expert opinion.

Mr. M'Intyre had the last word.

"Ye've advanced a big step towards yure manhood, laddies, and I'm prood o' ye the nicht. Yure conduc' under they perils by sea and land is more precious by far that yon gleeterin' gowd. A guid name is raither to be chosen than great riches. Thank the Lord for a' His mercies! Guid-nicht, bairns."

"GOOD-NIGHT ALL."

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