“That’s like your impudence,” said Georgie.  “You’re not only trespassing, but you’re destroying our property willfully, and you ask me what business I have here.  You’re a nice sort of young man.”

Harry, checked for a moment by the remembrance that he was in truth upon Boolabong run, did not at once answer.

“Put that bush down, and don’t burn our grass,” continued Georgie, “or you shall have to answer for it.  What right have you to fire our grass?”

“Who fired it first?”

“It lighted itself.  That’s no rule why you should light it more.  You give over, or I punch your head for you.”

Harry’s men and Medlicot were advancing toward him, trampling out their own embers as they came; and Georgie Brownbie, who was alone, when he saw that there were four or five men against him, turned round and rode back.

“Did you ever see impudence like that?” said Harry.  “He’s probably the very man who set the match, and yet he comes and brazens it out with me.”

“I don’t think he’s the man who set the match,” said Medlicot, quietly; “at any rate there was another.”

“Who was it?”

“My man, Nokes.  I saw him with the torch in his hand.”

“Heaven and earth!”

“Yes, Mr. Heathcote.  I saw him put it down.  You were about right, you see, and I was about wrong.”

Harry had not a word to say, unless it were tell the man that he loved him for the frankness of his confession.  But the moment was hardly auspicious for such a declaration.  There was no excuse for them to pause in their work, for the fire was still crackling at their back, and they did no more than pause.

“Ah!” said Harry, “there it goes; we shall be done at last.”  For he saw that he was being outflanked by the advancing flames.  But still they worked, drawing lines of fire here and there, and still they hoped that there might be ground for hope.  Nokes had been seen; but, pregnant as the theme might be with words, it was almost impossible to talk.  Questions could not be asked and answered without stopping in their toil.  There were questions which Harry longed to ask.  Could Medlicot swear to the man?  Did the man know that he had been seen?  If he knew that he had been watched while he lit the grass, he would soon be far away from Medlicot’s Mill and Gangoil.  Harry felt that it would be a consolation to him in his trouble if he could get hold of this man, and keep him, and prosecute him—­and have him hung.  Even in the tumult of the moment he was able to reflect about it, and to think that be remembered that the crime of arson was capital in the colony of Queensland.  He had endeavored to be good to the men with whom he had dealings.  He had not stinted their food, or cut them short in their wages, or been hard in exacting work from them.  And this was his return!  Ideas as to the excellence of absolute dominion and power flitted across his brain—­such power as Abraham, no doubt,