“For what purpose?” asked Murden.

“To save our heads from being burned, as they otherwise would, unless protected,” Fred replied.

“But the logs will get on fire.”

“Not if they are protected by a heavy covering of dirt,” answered Fred, composedly.

“An idea that I should not have entertained,” muttered Murden, in astonishment.

“But now that you understand me, hasten the men in their work, for already our clothes give tokens of singeing.”

Our situation was one which might well make a timid man fear for his life; for on each side of us the flames were roaring and surging like the grass of a prairie on fire, and over our heads the heavens were concealed by the black clouds of smoke which, urged by the wind, were traversing the sky at a rapid rate; and on that same night an alarm was entertained at Ballarat, ninety miles distant, that Melbourne had burned to the ground.  So dense was the smoke occasioned by the consuming of hundreds of acres of trees in the black forest of Australia.

The five on the left of the clearing, which we had kindled to prevent the bushrangers from approaching us and thinning our numbers at leisure, had already assumed a fearful aspect, and was running along the ground rapidly.  I hardly dared to stop my work and watch the scene, so fearful was it.  I had serious doubts as to the practicability of the plan which Fred proposed, yet I gave no evidence of my want of faith, and encouraged the men with example and words, and when a number of the trees began swaying to and fro, as the fire consumed their trunks, I remonstrated against their seeking shelter until the work was entirely finished.

During our struggle to secure a place of safety, we had forgotten entirely the wounded bushrangers, who were stretched out, side by side, at the farther end of the clearing.  Their cries for assistance, however, soon called our attention to the fact that we had made no provision for their safety, and while the policemen were hurriedly placing a roof upon our den, Murden and the rest of us held a brief consultation as to what we should do with the poor wretches.

“Speak quick,” exclaimed Fred, as a burning tree fell with a tremendous crash into the clearing, sending the sparks high into the air, and causing the atmosphere to seem like the breath of a furnace.

“Speak quick,” he continued.  “We can endure the heat but a few minutes longer, and our lives are endangered by the falling of trees.  Shall we save the bushrangers and perish ourselves, or shall we abandon them to their fate?”

“I am as humane as any man alive,” said Murden, “but I can’t think that I am called upon to expose my command to death for the sake of saving our most deadly enemy.  Were there innocent and unoffending women here, I should know my duty and behave as become a man, but now I must remember that I am a commander.”

“I expected that you would prefer your men’s safety to that of robbers,” Fred said; “but as you are an interested party, we will hear what Smith has to say.”