“Warrigal had heard quite enough. He rips over to Daly’s mob, borrows a horse, saddle, and bridle, and leads him straight down to our camp. He roused me up about one o’clock, and I could hardly make any explanation to my mates. Such stunning good fellows they were, too! I wonder whether I shall ever associate with gentlemen again? The chances are against it.

“I had all kinds of trouble to tell them I was going away with Warrigal, and yet not to tell too much.

“’What the dickens,’ says Clifford,‘can you want, going away with this familiar of yours at this hour of the night? You’re like the fellow in Scott’s novel (Anne of Geierstein) that I was reading over again yesterday—the mysterious stranger that’s called for at midnight by the Avenger of Blood, departs with him and is never seen more.’

“’In case you never see me afterwards,’ I said,‘we’d better say good-bye. We’ve been good mates and true friends, haven’t we?’

“’Never better,’ he said.‘I don’t know what we shall do without you. But, of course, you’re not going very far?’

“’Good-bye, in case,’ I said. ‘Anyhow, I’ll write you a line,’ and as I shook hands with them—two regular trumps, if ever there were any in the world—I had a kind of notion I’d never see them again. Hardly think I shall, either. Sir Ferdinand surrounded the hut about an hour later, and made them come out one by one—both of them and the wages man. I daresay they were surprised.

“’Where’s the fourth man, Clifford?’ says Sir Ferdinand.‘Just ask him to come out, will you?’

“’What, Frank Haughton?’ says he.

“I heard most of this from that young devil, Billy the Boy. He saw Sir Ferdinand ride up, so he hid close by, just for the fun of hearing how he got on. He’d seen Warrigal and me ride away.

“’Frank Devill’ bangs out Sir Ferdinand, who’s begun to get his monkey up. ‘How should I know his infernal purser’s name? No man, it seems to me, has the right name on this confounded gold field. I mean Starlight—Starlight the cattle stealer, the mail robber, the bushranger, whose name is notorious over the three colonies, and New Zealand to boot—your intimate friend and partner for the last nine months!’

“’You perfectly amaze me,’ says Clifford. ‘But can’t you be mistaken? Is your information to be depended upon?’

“’Mine came from a jealous woman,’ says Sir Ferdinand.‘They may generally be depended upon for a straight tip. But we’re losing time. When did he leave the claim, and which way did he go?’

“’I have no idea which way he went,’ says Clifford.‘He did not say, but he left about an hour since.’

“’On foot or on horseback?’

“’On horseback.

“ ‘Anyone with him?’

“ ‘Yes, another horseman.’