“But how did you find us, and how came the dog loose?” I inquired.

“That is a secret, but I don’t mind telling you.  I rode to your house and tried the door.  It was locked, but I heard the hound making an awful howling within; so I just fitted a key to the lock, and opened the door, and was nearly knocked down by the dog, who thought his master had returned.  However, Rover, after his disappointment, received me with a wag of his tail, and then, after snuffing around for a moment, started in a trot towards the field we have just left.  We followed close to his tail, and then the trot became a gallop—­the gallop a run, and to save our distance we drew our reins, and jogged along, keeping a good lookout on both sides of the road; but I believe that we should have missed you had not the report of your pistol given us token of your whereabouts.”

Chatting thus in an old familiar manner, we reached “Smith’s villa,” as we called it, and prepared for breakfast, a meal we were ready to enjoy, as our early rising had sharpened our appetites.

“By the way,” cried Murden, suddenly, “your portion of the money due for the capture and death of the bushrangers will be paid whenever you are disposed to call for it.”

“How much does it amount to?” I asked.

“Why, for you three, I think near two thousand pounds.  That of course includes Black Darnley and his gang.”

“Most ten thousand dollars!” cried Fred, surprised at the large amount.

“I wish, with all my heart, it was twice the sum.  Join me, and in less than two months we will have a bill against the treasurer which will cause him to look wild.”

“We can’t spend our time hunting men,” replied Fred, “when there is so much gold in the earth that we have only to dig to obtain it.  As to the rewards which are offered for captured bushrangers, I must own that I feel none too willing to accept that which is due to me, without striving to earn more.  It looks to me as though we were only butchers and dealers in human blood.”

“If we were the only ones who ever accepted of rewards for murderers and thieves, I might be induced to respect your conscientious scruples,” replied Murden, with a laugh.  “But as it has been the custom from time immemorial for rewards to be offered for shedders of human blood, and many men whose respectability cannot be questioned have received rewards for services so rendered, I think that I shall pocket my share, and consider all three of you very weak and spleeny not to do the same.”

Murden swallowed his coffee with a dogmatical air, as though his arguments were unanswerable, and shortly took his leave, after making us promise to breakfast with him the next day, and go and draw the money which was awaiting our orders.