"Ah, well! pistols will kill as well as rifles, and we don't know at
what moment they may pounce out from this thick scrub."
As I thought it possible that they might make an attempt to surprise us,
I was not sorry to follow the dominie's wishes.
We made such good way that I hoped we should reach Bracewell's before
sundown. Late in the day, I began to recognise spots we had passed
while staying with him, although so great is the sameness of the
country, that I could not feel very certain that such was the case,
until I heard Guy, who was ahead, sing out--
"Here we are! I see the top of Bracewell's hut."
We gave a cooey to let those at the station know of our approach, and in
another moment old Bob came hurrying out to meet us.
"Thankful you've come, gentlemen," he exclaimed; "though Mr Bracewell's
round the corner, he'll be glad of your society. He's in terribly low
spirits at having only me to look after him. But, whom have you there?
Picked up a couple of pirates on the road?"
We soon explained who our captives were. Old Bob shook his fist at
them.
"You rascals! You're caught at last, are you? You'll be having your
legs in chains before long I hope, and not be keeping honest folk in
fear of their lives."
"We must see where we can stow these fellows until we can send for the
police," said Guy.
"We'll stow them safe enough," said old Bob, "and, provided we keep
their arms lashed behind their backs, and their legs in limbo, they'll
not escape from where I'll put them."
The captive bushrangers cast angry glances at the speaker, but as their
mouths were still gagged, they could not express their feelings by
words.
Before we went in to see Bracewell, we had hauled them off their horses,
and under Bob's directions, dragged them into a hut, which had only one
door and one window. He then brought a couple of stout ropes, with
which we secured them to the posts which supported the roof, one on
either side of the hut, so that they could not reach each other. We
next drew the gags from their mouths, expecting that they would make the
first use of their tongues by abusing us, but they appeared to be too
dull and brutal even to do that. After closing the door and window, we
left them to their own devices.
"I'll take care that they don't get out during the night. If they try
that dodge, I'll send a bullet through their heads," muttered old Bob.
Bracewell, who had been asleep when we arrived, awoke as we entered,
delighted to see us, and insisted on getting up to do the honours of his
hut. Old Bob in the meantime was cooking supper, and a very
satisfactory one he managed to produce.
Our coming, as we expected, did our friend a great deal of good, and we
hoped that the medicine which the dominie brought would still further
restore him.
Old Bob insisted that a guard should be kept on the prisoners, and he
offered to stand watch for four hours, provided we three took the
remainder of the night between us. To this we could not object, though
when he aroused me, I confess that I got up very unwillingly.
I was thankful, however, that his advice was followed. While standing
before the door, I heard one of the fellows announce to his comrade that
he had got one of his arms free, and that in another minute he would set
him at liberty. Had they succeeded in doing this, they would have had
no difficulty in working their way out of the hut.
I at once opened the door, and walked up to the fellow with a pistol in
my hand. I found that he had really managed to get an arm free, though
the moment he saw me he placed it behind him.
I shouted to old Bob, who quickly came to my assistance, and we soon had
the fellow more securely fastened than before. We then examined the
other. Though he had evidently been trying his best to get out his
arms, he had not succeeded. As may be supposed, we did not allow them
an opportunity of attempting the same trick again, and when I called up
Guy, I charged him to keep a watch on the two fellows, a lantern being
placed in the middle of the hut to throw its light upon them.
At day-break Hector rode off to execute the commissions for his father,
and at the same time to summon the police.
As our prisoners required our constant attention, we were very thankful
when a dozen black troopers came clattering up to the station under the
command of an English officer, to whom we handed over the bushrangers,
and gave a full description of how they had been caught, and of their
two companions who had escaped.
We had, as we expected, to go and give evidence; but, fortunately, as
their trial came on at once, we were not long delayed.
By the time we were wanted, Bracewell, thanks to the dominie's medical
skill, had almost entirely recovered. He was able to identify the two
men as among the party who had attacked him, we also having found in
their possession some of his property which they had taken. The other
two were still at large, but the police entertained no doubt that they
should catch them before long.
We all returned to Bracewell's, and I was glad to find that he had
accepted an invitation from Mr Strong, to pay him a visit, which he was
able to do as he had engaged a trustworthy man to assist old Bob in
taking care of the station. We therefore prepared to set out
immediately.