Of course, the other robbers were easily disposed of, for we were two to one; but even after we had them securely pinioned, they taunted us with cowardice, and dared us to meet them in open fight, where they could stand some chance for their lives.  Their complaints were unheeded, although Mike and the ghost both expressed a wish to meet two of the men, and give them fair play, according to the well-known rules of the prize ring of London, of which institution the shepherd professed to have vast admiration.  The idea was not to be thought of, and the two champions were discontented.

The women had remained spectators of the scene without offering to escape, for they knew into whatever hands they fell they could not be treated much worse than they had been, and just at the moment we made our appearance a change was quite desirable.

I thought that once I heard the shrill voice of Nancy raised in thanksgiving to the Lord for the rescue, and the death of the bushranger, but was so busy at the moment that I did not pay much attention.

“Ladies,” said Mr. Wright, “we have rescued you from your unpleasant company, and I shall take great pleasure in offering you a portion of my house until you can make arrangements to join your friends.  My name is Wright, and I reside but a short distance from this fording place.”

“I told you we should meet with some of old Wright’s folks,” grumbled Bill, who was extended upon the ground, his hands secured behind his back.

“Yes, you scamp, I am ‘old Wright,’ as you termed me, and believe me, I never felt prouder of the name than at this moment, when I have helped rescue the women from your clutches, and feel that there is a chance of seeing you hanged.”

“God be praised,” cried Nancy; “we have met with Christians at last.  When men speak of the gibbet, I know that they have served the Lord and will fight the devil.  To-night you have fought four devils instead of one, and like angels have overcome them.”

“Do you hear that, Bill?  The old wench calls Wright an angel,” exclaimed one of the scamps, turning his head towards his companion as well as he was able.

“If we had him on the mountain we would make an angel of him d——­d quick, by singeing off his hair,” replied the fellow addressed as Bill.

“Who is the woman by your side?” Mr. Brown asked Nancy.

“Ah, poor thing, she was on her way to the mines with her husband, when these devils set upon us, killed the men, and made us prisoners.  If my old man had been there it wouldn’t have happened, I know,” was Nancy’s confident reply.

“Why so?” I asked.

“Because he can lick half a dozen such cowards as these, and one glance of his eye would have been sufficient to have frightened them.”

“That is so, Nance,” laughed one of the prisoners; “he is frightfully cross-eyed, and as homely as a hedgehog.”

“The Lord be thankful for it, for I know that if his eyes are not right his heart is.”