“I did not report myself to the police of Sydney, for I was determined to win all the honor, or sustain all the disgrace, of an encounter with Darnley.  Perhaps afterwards I felt sorry that I had not obtained assistance, but I never acknowledged it to those in authority.  I made an excuse that was considered sufficient for my course, and there the matter rested.

“About twelve o’clock on the day that we reached Sydney, we discovered our men trudging along the road, disguised in a manner that at first almost deceived me, and I called myself well acquainted with the persons of Darnley and Steel Spring.  I allowed them to get within a few feet of us, when I suddenly called upon them to stop.  Up to this time it was evident that neither suspected us, but upon my speaking, I saw Darnley’s hand thrust into his bosom, and I knew what he was searching for.

“‘You are our prisoners,’ I said, covering the person of Darnley with a pistol that I had never known to fail me.

“‘You are mistaken in your men,’ he answered, edging away from my horse.

“’It’s no mistake,” I replied; “I arrest you, Black Darnley, for the murder of two miners.’

“Still keeping my eyes upon the bushranger, and suffering my men to attend to Steel Spring, who cowed as though overwhelmed by despair, I disengaged one foot from the stirrup, and was just about dismounting, when I saw the villain draw a pistol and aim at me.  He was so quick that I had no time to defend myself; but his rapid movement started the horse, and he shied just enough to save me and receive the contents of the pistol.

“The poor brute bounded and dashed against my companions, overturning two of them, and nearly unhorsing the other; and while I was picking myself up from the road, where I had been thrown, I heard a hoarse laugh, and saw Darnley and Steel Spring bounding over a fence that enclosed a number of acres of growing grain.

“Frantic with rage, I sighted them with my pistol, but the cap alone exploded; and before I could draw another, the murderers were out of sight.  I looked towards my companions, to ask why they did not use their weapons, and I found that two of them were just picking themselves up from the middle of the road, and the third was going towards Sydney at a rapid rate, and in despite of his utmost exertions to stop the animal upon which he was mounted.

“I shouted to the men to follow me, but only one obeyed; the other had broken an arm in his fall, and was groaning over it piteously.  We sprang over the fence and followed the trail through the grain, each step leading us away from the city and assistance, but I thought not of that.  My whole desire was to grapple with the villains, and either capture them or end their career.  I encouraged my companion to keep up with me in the pursuit; but I was either fleeter of foot, or else he sadly lagged behind, for after ten minutes running I was left alone.