Dad was hit right through the top of the left shoulder. The ball had gone through the Muscle and lodged somewhere. We couldn’t see anything of it. Another bullet had gone right through him, as far as we could make out, under the breast on the right-hand side.

“That looks like a good-bye shot,” says Starlight; “see how the blood comes welling out still; but it hasn’t touched the lungs. There’s no blood on his lips, and his breathing is all right. What’s this? Only through the muscle of the right arm. That’s nothing; and this graze on the ribs, a mere scratch. Dash more water in his face, Jim. He’s coming to.”

After a few minutes he did come to, sure enough, and looked round when he found himself in bed.

“Where am I?” says he.

“You’re at home,” I said,“in the Hollow.”

“Dashed if I ever thought I’d get here,” he says. “I was that bad I nearly tumbled off the old mare miles away. She must have carried me in while I was unsensible. I don’t remember nothing after we began to get down the track into the Hollow. Where is she?”

“Oh! we found her near the eave, with the saddle and bridle on.”

“That’s all right. Bring me a taste of grog, will ye; I’m a’most dead with thirst. Where did I come from last, I wonder? Oh, I seem to know now. Settling accounts with that -- dog that insulted my gal. Moran got square with t’other. That’ll learn ‘em to leave old Ben Marston alone when he’s not meddling with them.”

“Never mind talking about that now,” I said. “You had a near shave of it, and it will take you all your time to pull through now.”

“I wasn’t hit bad till just as I was going to drop down into Black Gully,” he said. “I stood one minute, and that cursed wretch Hagan had a steady shot at me. I had one at him afterwards, though, with his hands tied, too.”

“God forgive you!” says Jim, “for shooting men in cold blood. I couldn’t do it for all the gold in Turon, nor for no other reason. It’ll bring us bad luck, too; see if it don’t.”

“You’re too soft, Jim,” says the old man. “You ain’t a bad chap; but any young fellow of ten years old can buy and sell you. Where’s that brandy and water?”

“Here it is,” says Jim; “and then you lie down and take a sleep. You’ll have to be quiet and obey orders now—that is if a few more years’ life’s any good to you.”