When I got back to my friends we held a consultation as to our best mode
of proceeding. It was agreed that we would wait until the bushrangers
separated, which they were sure to do in the morning, and then rush on
those in the camp while the others were away. The dog would prove the
chief obstacle, and it was settled that I was to shoot him while Hector
and Guy should dash into their camp. Two of the men would in all
probability remain, while the others went to look after the horses,
leaving their arms behind them. The dominie was to remain with the
horses in case any of the fellows escaping might gallop off with them.
We waited until about a couple of hours to dawn, when we crept forward,
led by the black. We dared not approach as close as we could have
wished, on account of their watch-dog, who would be certain to give the
alarm. Our plans being arranged, the dominie and I lay down, and,
wearied with what we had lately gone through, slept for the greater part
of the night.
It was still dusk when, having crept up to the robbers' camp, we saw one
of them get up and throw some sticks on the fire. He then aroused his
companions, and two of them, the big bushranger and one I took to be
Vinson, went off, as we concluded, to bring in the horses, happily
leaving their guns behind them.
Now was our opportunity. At a signal from Hector, we rose to our feet,
and holding our guns ready to fire, rushed towards the two men, who were
engaged in cooking their breakfast. The bull-dog, with a fierce bark,
sprang towards us. As he did so, the black with his spear nearly fixed
the brute to the ground, which saved me from having to fire, and thus
alarming the other two. One of the men attempted to take up his gun,
but it was beyond his reach; he, however, seized from the fire a thick
stick, with which he made a blow at my head; but at that instant my
brave Carlo sprang at his throat with a force which brought him to the
ground. Hector and Guy were in the meantime struggling with the other
man, whom they succeeded in securing. Having lashed his arms behind
him, they were at liberty to come to my assistance, and soon firmly
bound the fellow Carlo had overthrown, for I had not struck a blow. On
examining the countenances of the men we discovered that they were both
strangers. The big bushranger and Vinson, who were, we had little
doubt, the other two we had seen, had gone off probably to catch the
horses. Having left their arms behind them they were in our power, but
it was a great question whether we could manage to capture them. They
would probably be back in a few minutes, and we had at once to decide
how to act.
"I have a bright idea," exclaimed Guy; "I tell you what we will do.
We'll gag these two fellows to prevent them from crying out, and drag
them behind those bushes close to the camp. You, Maurice, and the
black, being also concealed, must threaten to shoot them if they attempt
to make any noise. Hector and I will then take their places at the
fire, and pretend to be cooking the breakfast. As there will not be
much light for some time, the other men when they return will not at
first discover us, and we shall be able to point our rifles and order
them to give in before they are aware of the trap we have laid. To make
things more certain, we'll put on our prisoners' cabbage straw hats and
red shirts, so that the chances are that they will get close up before
they find out their mistake."
Hector and I highly approving of Guy's suggestion, we immediately set
about putting it into execution. The black, who, being a remarkably
intelligent fellow, fully understood our object, seemed highly
delighted, grinning from ear to ear, as he assisted us.
We quickly gagged our prisoners, and then, dragging them behind the
bushes, took off their shirts and hats, which, as they were far from
clean, I was secretly glad I had not got to wear. Guy and Hector put
them on, and then examining the fire-arms to ascertain if they were
properly loaded, drew them close to the fire, before which they sat
down. While one turned the spits on which they had put some meat to
roast, the other employed himself in chopping up sticks and placing them
on the fire. So exactly did they act the parts in which we had found
our present prisoners engaged, that I felt sure the other men would not
suspect the trap laid for them until they were close up to the camp. It
was to be hoped that both would come at the same time, for if not,
though we might seize one, the other would probably be warned, and make
his escape. There was a risk, of course, that they would come across
the dominie and the horses, and if so, would guess that we had
discovered their camp, and would at all events be on their guard. Guy
had, however, especially charged the dominie that should the bushrangers
by any accident discover him, he was to keep them at a distance by
threatening to fire if they approached.
While my brother and Hector were bending over the fire as I have
described, I kept peering through the bushes, keeping one eye on our two
prisoners, though I felt sure that the black would watch them carefully
as he squatted down by their side with a sharp knife in his hand. It
was a nervous time, but we had not long to wait before we heard the dull
sound of galloping feet, and several horses came in sight, followed by
the big bushranger mounted on a powerful steed. I could nowhere see
Vinson, so that he at all events would have a chance of escaping. The
horses came rushing on, and as they got near the fire separated, some on
one side, some on the other. With an oath the big man shouted out--
"Why don't you stop them, you fellows?" The two figures bending over
the fire did not appear to hear him, until, throwing himself from his
horse, he approached them; when, snatching up their rifles, they
suddenly turned round and presented the barrels at his head.
"Hands up, or we fire!" cried Guy and Hector in the same breath.
Notwithstanding this warning the bushranger's right hand instantly moved
towards the butt of the pistol in his belt, his left still holding the
rein; he, however, quickly changed his mind, for he well knew, should he
attempt to draw his weapon, before he could present it a couple of balls
might be crashing through his brain. Another oath escaped his lips.
"Caught at last," he cried out, as if he was going to yield, but the
next instant with a bound he was in his saddle, leaning forward at the
same time, so that the horse's neck might protect his head. Guy fired.
The bullet only grazed the fellow's shoulder. I was taking aim at the
fugitive, when another person appeared, driving before him the remainder
of the horses. Forgetting for a moment that the bushranger's guns lay
beside my brother and Hector, but recollecting that the big fellow had a
brace of pistols in his belt, I was afraid of firing lest I should miss;
and that he, coming back, would turn the tables on us. The next instant
Hector and Guy had each picked up a gun. The big bushranger had,
however, already got to a considerable distance, and although both
fired, he continued his course, apparently uninjured.
While they were reloading, the fourth man, whom I took to be Vinson, had
disappeared. We all three immediately rushed out to stop the horses,
and succeeded in catching our own and two others. Our own saddles were
in the robber's camp, so all we had to do was to put them on ready for a
start. We then placed our prisoners on the backs of the other two,
securing their legs under the horses' bellies, and fastening long
leathern thongs to the bridles. We then, carrying off the ammunition,
and two of the guns as trophies, smashed up the others, and threw the
saddles and the few articles of baggage we found, on the fire,
retaining, however, one or two things which were likely to prove
acceptable to our black guide, who was highly delighted with his share
of the plunder. Hoping to receive a further reward, he undertook to
accompany us to Bracewell's, and to lead our prisoners' horses. We
thought it prudent, however, not to trust him too much, though we
accepted his offer, provided he could keep up to us.
We were anxious as soon as possible to hand our prisoners over to the
police, lest their two comrades, still at large, with others of the gang
they might fall in with, should attempt their rescue; but we felt pretty
secure, as they would know that, so long as we were on the watch, they
were not likely to succeed. Should we, however, be kept out another
night, they would compel us to be very vigilant, while we should have to
guard both ourselves and the horses.
Although the two bushrangers had escaped, we had succeeded in breaking
up the gang, and without guns and ammunition they would have great
difficulty in supporting themselves; while the two we had made prisoners
would probably, on their trial, be ready to give such information as
might assist in the capture of others.
Leading on our prisoners, we now set out to return to where we had left
the dominie.
We had, I should have said, hurriedly eaten some of the provisions Guy
and Hector had cooked, and we took the remainder so that no time need be
lost in proceeding to Bracewell's.
On reaching the spot, what was our dismay to see neither the dominie nor
the horses. We shouted to him, but no reply came.
"What can have become of him?" exclaimed Guy. "Those fellows must have
fallen in with him, and compelled him to accompany them."
"I do not think that is possible," I remarked, "for they went off in a
different direction. Still his disappearance is very mysterious. We
must try to learn what the black thinks about the matter."
We inquired of our guide, by signs and such words as he understood.
He examined the ground on every side and then started off at a run in a
southerly direction, and on closer examination we discovered traces of
the horses.
After waiting some time, as the black did not return, Guy proposed that
Hector should stay by the prisoners and the two animals we had
recovered, while he and I went in search of our missing friend.
Hector undertook to do as proposed.
"I'll hobble all four of them," he observed, "and there'll be no risk of
their getting away."
Not wishing to lose more time we started. After going on for some time
we got separated, and I found to my right a deep gully, with steep
cliff-like banks, mostly covered with trees of a character which showed
that there was generally an abundance of water; indeed, I observed
several small pools, joined by a trickling rivulet three or four feet
only in width.
As I went along, I shouted out our friend's name. At last I heard the
tramp of horses, and looking about, I caught sight through the trees of
our two animals with their saddles on their backs, the black following,
driving them before him.
I was thankful to find that they had been recovered, though much grieved
not to see the dominie, for I naturally feared that some serious
accident had happened to him. I now once more returned, intending to
rejoin Hector, when I heard a faint shout. It came from the direction
of the gully. My hopes revived of finding the dominie. After going on
some way, I again heard the shout followed by a cooey which I was sure,
however, was not uttered by him. It was the voice either of Guy or
Hector.
I cooeyed in return. Soon afterwards another reached my ears, coming
from the same direction. At last I gained the summit of a cliff, when,
looking down, I saw Guy bending over the prostrate form of a man.
I soon joined my brother, and found that the fallen person was the
dominie. Guy was employed in chafing his hands, and trying to restore
him to consciousness.
"Can he have been attacked by bushrangers, and thrown here?" I asked.
"I don't think that," answered Guy, pointing up to the cliff. "See, he
must have fallen over, and striking his head on the ground, have become
insensible. Go and get some water from yonder pool in your hat, and I
think that if we bathe his head, he will come to."
I did as Guy desired me, and in a short time we had the satisfaction of
seeing our companion revive.
"Have you got the horses?" were the first words he spoke.
"All right!" I answered, "and we have captured two bushrangers into the
bargain."
The news seemed to have a good effect, and now that he had come to
himself, he quickly, with our assistance, was able to get up the cliff,
when we helped him along.
In a short time we joined Hector, who had caught the horses driven up to
him by the black.
We immediately mounted, and Hector taking charge of one prisoner, and
Guy of the other, I attended to the dominie. We expected that our black
guide would have kept up with the horses, but when he found the rate at
which we went, he appeared to have had enough of our society, and,
suddenly bolting off into the bush, disappeared.
"It is the way of those black fellows," observed Hector. "He has
obtained more than he expected, and has no fancy to be shot by the
bushrangers, should we encounter them; probably, also, he wants to join
his gins, who, I dare say, are not far off, though they have kept out of
our sight."
We rode on, when the ground was level breaking into a gallop. The
dominie now and then groaned, but when I offered to pull up, he always
answered--
"Go on, go on; perhaps those villains will be watching for us; I don't
want to be stuck up again or shot."