Well, between this new fad of the old man’s and our having a notion that we had better keep quiet for a spell and let things settle down a bit, we had a long steady talk, and the end of it was that we made up our minds to go and put in a month or two at the diggings.

We took a horse apiece that weren’t much account, so we could either sell them or lose them, it did not make much odds which, and made a start for Jonathan Barnes’s place. We got word from him every now and then, and knew that the police had never found out that we had been there, going or coming. Jonathan was a blowing, blatherskiting fool; but his very foolishness in that way made them think he knew nothing at all. He had just sense enough not to talk about us, and they never thought about asking him. So we thought we’d have a bit of fun there before we settled down for work at the Turon. We took old saddles and bridles, and had a middling-sized swag in front, just as if we’d come a long way. We dressed pretty rough, too; we had longish hair and beards and (except Starlight) might have been easy taken for down-the-river stockmen or drovers.

When we got to Barnes’s place he and the old woman seemed ever so glad to see us. Bella and Maddie rushed out, making a great row, and chattering both at a time.

“Why, we thought you were lost, or shot, or something,” Bella said. “You might have sent us a letter, or a message, only I suppose you didn’t think it worth while.”

“What a bad state the country’s getting in,” says Maddie. “Think of them bush-rangers sticking up the bank at Ballabri, and locking up the constable in his own cell. Ha! ha! The police magistrate was here to-night. You should have heard Bella talking so nice and proper to him about it.”

“Yes, and you said they’d all be caught and hanged,” said Bella; “that it was settin’ such a bad example to the young men of the colony. My word! it was as good as a play. Mad was so full of her fun, and when the P.M. said they’d be sure to be caught in the long-run, Maddie said they’d have to import some thoroughbred police to catch ‘em, for our Sydney-side ones didn’t seem to have pace enough. This made the old gentleman stare, and he looked at Maddie as if she was out of her mind. Didn’t he, Mad?”

“I do think it’s disgraceful of Goring and his lot not to have run them in before,” says Starlight,“but it wouldn’t do for me to interfere.”