One by one the prisoners were transferred from the trees to the cart.  Desperate was their resistance, and loud were the curses which were heaped upon our heads.  Manacled as they were, with heavy handcuffs around their wrists, in some instances four men were required to lift one of the villains to his place in the team, and it was no easy task at that.

The police worked with patience, and never once lost their temper, although I expected every moment that they would resort to extreme measures.  To keep the robbers quiet, and prevent their committing any violence on those who rode in the team, a stout, spare chain was passed from the forward end of the cart to the back part, and fastened underneath.  To this the feet of the men were secured, so that it was impossible for them to move, or commit any sudden act of violence.  The method was severe, but the only safe plan, and Murden was too old a hand at rogue-taking to adopt half-way measures.

At eight o’clock we were ready for our journey.  Three of the police were to ride on the cart as a means of precaution, and Fred and myself were promoted to horses.  Smith resumed his old position by the side of his cattle, and after an affectionate leave-taking with the old convict and his child, we started; but, to our surprise, the hound trotted along by my side, and all words or gestures were useless in forcing him to return to his mistress.

Knowing that she valued the animal, I rode back with him, and requested her to call him into the hut and close the door, but to my astonishment, she declined; and when I urged that I could not induce the animal to return unless I accompanied him, she requested me, in a quiet manner, to accept of him as a gift, and the only conditions that she imposed were, that I should treat him kindly during his life.

I joyfully accepted her offer, and once more saying good-by, I rejoined the troop, and with Rover, as I called the dog after I owned him, by my side, bounding towards me to receive a friendly pat on the head, as though he rejoiced in the change that had been made, I journeyed on, in company with Murden and Fred.

All night long did we urge the oxen to their quickest paces, so that we could reach a stock-hut by sunrise, where we could obtain food and rest, both of which we needed.  A dozen times did I fall asleep in the saddle, only to awaken when I found that I was likely to pitch headlong to the ground, and when, by the sudden efforts which I made to recover myself, I got thoroughly awakened, I saw that my companions were equally as sleepy.

Had a strong force of bushrangers but attacked us that night, not a man would have been left to tell the story; for so thoroughly used up were the force, that I doubt if even the report of a gun could have roused them from their lethargy.

About daylight we left the main road, and took a course nearly parallel, over a plain where not a sign of a wagon wheel was visible.  After we had lost sight of the road, we began to meet cattle grazing upon the prairie, and by their wildness, we imagined that visitors were a rare sight to them.