We soon overtook Smith, who was mounted like ourselves, and through the night we jogged along by his side, relieving the loneliness of the journey with stories and reminiscences of our other expeditions.

It was just about daylight, on the morning of the fifth day from Melbourne, and we were pressing the oxen to their utmost to reach a camping ground before sunrise, when Rover, who had been jogging far in advance of us, stopped suddenly before a thick clump of bushes, which extended some ways along the roadside, and with an angry howl, remained regarding some object which was concealed from our sight.

I called the animal, but he refused to move, and I began to suspect that some kind of beast was concealed among the brush, and that he was too formidable for the dog to attack alone.  With this view, Fred and myself unslung our rifles and examined the caps, and rode slowly forward.  We were not more than ten rods from the hound when we saw a spear whiz past him, and enter the bushes on the other side of the road.  We then knew what was concealed; but whether the purpose was hostile or friendly, we did not have an opportunity to ask, for we had barely time to call the dog from such a dangerous locality, when another spear passed near our heads.

“Turn back!” shouted Smith, who was jogging on with the cattle, a few rods distant, and saw the whole transaction.  “Turn back,” he continued, “or you are dead men.”

We wheeled our horses and galloped from a place where nothing but spear heads were to be seen, for we did not like the idea of fighting people who ran no risk.

When we joined Smith, we found that he had turned his oxen, and was driving them at full speed towards an open plain half a mile distant.

“Are you going back to Melbourne?” asked Fred.

“I am going to gain yonder plain as fast as possible,” the stockman cried, casting an uneasy glance over his shoulder, as though fearful of pursuit.

“For what reason?” we asked.

“Because I’ve no idea of risking my life by running an ambush, where, no doubt, twenty or thirty natives are stationed, determined to kill the first one who passes.”

“I thought they were harmless,” I replied.

“So they are, when they choose to be; but it’s very probable that miners have been committing outrages upon their women, and now they are determined to revenge their injuries upon us.  Keep your eyes upon the bushes, and don’t mind me if you see signs of their following.  Escape to the open plain, and trust to me to join you.  Once there, we can hold fifty of them at bay.”

“Do you think we are so cowardly as to desert a comrade?” demanded Fred.  “Let them attack us if they will, but we will stick to you and the team as long as life remains.”

“I expected the answer,” cried Smith, applying his long whip to the sides of the reeking cattle, and starting them into a run.  “But if you will not save yourselves, at least take care of the oxen and let me cover the retreat.”