Chapter Fifty.

Chapter Fifty.Our Patient awakes.There was no alarm next day, and scouts who were sent out came back to report that they had tracked the enemy down the river, and then up into the forest by one of the side streams, the second beyond the Golden Valley.“Humph!” ejaculated Mr Raydon, “pleasant that, John. They have taken to the lovely wooded vale I had marked down in my own mind for your future home.”Mr John shrugged his shoulders, and gave his wife and brother-in-law a half-sad, half-laughing look.“I am not surprised,” he said, “I always was the most unlucky of men.”“Nothing of the kind, sir,” retorted Mr Raydon. “You have had as much good fortune as other men—quite as much as I have. My dear John,” he added more gently, “we men have a bad habit of forgetting the good in our lives, and remembering all the bad. My dear fellow, half your troubles have been caused by your want of energy.”“Yes,” he said, smiling sadly, “I suppose so. I have always been too ready to give up. But,” he added quickly, “I never complain.”Mr Raydon never looked so pleasant in my eyes before as he smiled at his sister, and then laid his hand on Mr John’s shoulder.“Never, John, never. You annoy me sometimes by being so easy and yielding.”“Yes, yes,” said Mr John; “but I’m going to turn over a new leaf, and be stern and energetic as you are.”Mrs John crossed to him and took his hand.“No,” she said quietly, “you are going to turn over no new leaves, dear. You are best as you always have been. Daniel is wrong; we cannot have all men of the same mould.”“Do you hear all this, Mayne Gordon?” said Mr Raydon, laughingly; and before I could reply, he said quickly, “Go on now, and take your turn as sentry; I want to think out my plans. Don’t talk about it to the men, but something must be done. A combination must be made to capture these men again, for we shall have no peace or safety till they are cleared away.”“What are you thinking of doing?” said Mrs John, taking alarm at his words.“Trying to end the matter peaceably, and without bloodshed.”Mrs John uttered a sigh of relief, and I went out wondering what would be done, and thinking that if I had my way, I should collect all the miners, join forces, and then send one party to the head of the little vale, and attempt to advance with the others from the bottom by the river, little thinking what difficulties there would be in such a plan.As soon as I was outside Mr Raydon’s office, I met Grey, who gave me a grim, dry look.“Know how many men you shot last night?” he said.I looked at him in horror.“Don’t—don’t say—” I faltered.“All right!” he replied; “but if you’re going to carry a rifle, and you use it, you must expect to knock some of the enemy over. There, I was only joking you, soldier. I don’t think anybody was even scratched by a ball. If you’re going to stop with us, I shall have to make a marksman of you, so that you can do as I do—give a man a lesson.”“In shooting?” I said.He laughed.“Yes, but you don’t understand me. I mean give him such a lesson as will make him behave better. ’Tisn’t pleasant, when you have grown cool after a fight, to think you have dangerously wounded or killed a man; not even if he tried to kill you. I felt that years ago, and I practised up, so that I can hit a man with a rifle just where I like—that is nearly always.”“It was you who fired at those two wretches then?” I said eagerly.“Of course it was, and I hit one in the leg, and the other in the hand. Did nearly as well as killing ’em, eh?”“Yes,” I said, laughing. “I must practise too.”“You shall, and I hope you’ll have no need to use your rifle afterwards, except on bears or deer. Where are you going?”“Mr Raydon said I was to relieve one of the men.”“So you shall, but the first one’s got an hour yet to be on duty. I’ll call you when you’re wanted. How’s Mr Gunson?”“I’m just going to see,” I said; and I went up to the strangers’ quarters and looked in, to find Mrs Dean on duty by the bedside, and Esau seated by the fire, cutting out something which he informed me was part of a trap he had invented to catch squirrels.“How is he?” I said in a low voice to Mrs Dean.“Very bad, my dear, and so weak.”“But hasn’t he shown any sign of recovering his senses?”“No, my dear; and it does seem so discouraging.”“Never mind, mother; you’ll cure him.”“Hist!” I said.“Well, I am whispering, ain’t I,” said Esau. “He couldn’t hear if I didn’t.”“But he must be kept quiet, Esau, and you have such a big voice. Your whispers are as loud as some people’s shouts.”“Hush!” I said, as I heard steps. “Mr Raydon.”Mrs Dean rose and curtseyed as Mr Raydon entered, followed by Mr and Mrs John; and he looked surprised on seeing me there.“Not on duty, Gordon?” he said.“Mr Grey told me to wait till he was ready for me, sir.”“Oh!—Well, Mrs Dean, how is your patient?”“Seems to sleep very calmly and gently, sir. I did think he looked at me sensibly once, but I’m not sure.”“Poor fellow!” said Mr Raydon gravely, as Mrs Dean left the place, followed by Esau, while I felt as if I should like to follow them; but I stayed, knowing that if I did go, Mr Raydon would think I felt guilty at being found there, when I was only obeying his officer’s orders. So I remained watching, and waiting to be called.Mr Raydon bent over the couch, and laid his hand upon his patient’s head.“Nice and cool. He must be mending, and sooner or later I believe he will recover. It is time, though, that he made some sign of returning consciousness. Ah, Mayne, my lad, this is the thirst for gold with a vengeance. I dreaded it; I have dreaded it for years. Poor fellow! A thorough gentleman at heart, but his desire for wealth was his ruin.”The words leaped to my lips, but I felt that all Mr Gunson had told me of his former life was in confidence; and beside, Mr Raydon’s treatment did not encourage mine, so I was silent for a moment or so, gazing sadly at the thin worn face before me, and wishing that I was a clever doctor and able to cure him, when I started with surprise and pleasure, for Mr Gunson’s eyes opened, and he lay looking fixedly at me for some time in the midst of a painful silence.Then a look of recognition came into his gaze, and he smiled at me faintly.“Time to get up?” he said, in a whisper. “I—”He looked quickly round then, and his face worked a little.“Where am I?—what?” he faltered. “Mayne, where am I? Ah! I remember now,” he said, faintly.Mr Raydon bent over him.“Don’t try to talk, Gunson. You have been ill, but you are getting better now.”“Yes,” he said, softly; “I remember. Struck down just now.”I exchanged glances with Mr Raydon.“No, not just now, because I have been lying here. Some one nursing me—yes,” he cried, with more energy, as his eyes rested on Mrs John’s sympathetic face, “you.”“We have all nursed you,” said Mrs John, quietly. “But do not try to talk.”“No,” he said, decisively; “but—there is one thing—must say—my claim—the gold.”I saw Mr Raydon’s face pucker up, and a frown gather on his brow, but it cleared away directly, and he bent down over his patient, and laid his hand upon his forehead.“Gunson, you must be quiet,” he said. “Your claim is quite safe. I have men protecting it, and no gold has been found or taken away.”“Thank heaven!” sighed Gunson; and giving a grateful look round he closed his eyes, and seemed to go to sleep.“Come away now,” whispered Mr Raydon. “You will stay with him?”Mrs John bowed her head, and softly took the chair by the pillow, while we all stole gently out of the room.“His first waking thought, John,” said Mr Raydon, bitterly; “gold—gold—gold. There, it is of no use to murmur: I must swallow my pet antipathy, I suppose.”Once more the thought of all Mr Gunson had said to me came as words to my lips; but though my friend was being wrongly judged, I felt that I could not speak.“Some day he will know all the truth,” I said, “and I must wait.”Just then Grey came up.“Your time, Gordon,” he said, abruptly. Then seeing our excited looks, he glanced towards the strangers’ quarters.“Not worse, sir?” he said, eagerly.“No, Grey; the turn has come—better,” said Mr Raydon.Grey took off his fur cap, waved it in the air, and then with a satisfied smile he marched me off.“That’s what I like to hear; he’ll be all right soon now. This place would set any man up. But I can’t understand the gov’nor. He was always mad against any one coming about here hunting for gold, and yet somehow he seems to have quite taken to your friend, who talks about nothing else.”“Yes,” I said; “I can’t help thinking that he likes Mr Gunson.”“Oh, there’s no doubt about it, my lad. We shall have him taking to gold-hunting himself one of these days.”“Never,” I said, decisively, as we reached my post.“Never’s a long day, boy,” said Grey, thoughtfully; “but I think you’re right.”

There was no alarm next day, and scouts who were sent out came back to report that they had tracked the enemy down the river, and then up into the forest by one of the side streams, the second beyond the Golden Valley.

“Humph!” ejaculated Mr Raydon, “pleasant that, John. They have taken to the lovely wooded vale I had marked down in my own mind for your future home.”

Mr John shrugged his shoulders, and gave his wife and brother-in-law a half-sad, half-laughing look.

“I am not surprised,” he said, “I always was the most unlucky of men.”

“Nothing of the kind, sir,” retorted Mr Raydon. “You have had as much good fortune as other men—quite as much as I have. My dear John,” he added more gently, “we men have a bad habit of forgetting the good in our lives, and remembering all the bad. My dear fellow, half your troubles have been caused by your want of energy.”

“Yes,” he said, smiling sadly, “I suppose so. I have always been too ready to give up. But,” he added quickly, “I never complain.”

Mr Raydon never looked so pleasant in my eyes before as he smiled at his sister, and then laid his hand on Mr John’s shoulder.

“Never, John, never. You annoy me sometimes by being so easy and yielding.”

“Yes, yes,” said Mr John; “but I’m going to turn over a new leaf, and be stern and energetic as you are.”

Mrs John crossed to him and took his hand.

“No,” she said quietly, “you are going to turn over no new leaves, dear. You are best as you always have been. Daniel is wrong; we cannot have all men of the same mould.”

“Do you hear all this, Mayne Gordon?” said Mr Raydon, laughingly; and before I could reply, he said quickly, “Go on now, and take your turn as sentry; I want to think out my plans. Don’t talk about it to the men, but something must be done. A combination must be made to capture these men again, for we shall have no peace or safety till they are cleared away.”

“What are you thinking of doing?” said Mrs John, taking alarm at his words.

“Trying to end the matter peaceably, and without bloodshed.”

Mrs John uttered a sigh of relief, and I went out wondering what would be done, and thinking that if I had my way, I should collect all the miners, join forces, and then send one party to the head of the little vale, and attempt to advance with the others from the bottom by the river, little thinking what difficulties there would be in such a plan.

As soon as I was outside Mr Raydon’s office, I met Grey, who gave me a grim, dry look.

“Know how many men you shot last night?” he said.

I looked at him in horror.

“Don’t—don’t say—” I faltered.

“All right!” he replied; “but if you’re going to carry a rifle, and you use it, you must expect to knock some of the enemy over. There, I was only joking you, soldier. I don’t think anybody was even scratched by a ball. If you’re going to stop with us, I shall have to make a marksman of you, so that you can do as I do—give a man a lesson.”

“In shooting?” I said.

He laughed.

“Yes, but you don’t understand me. I mean give him such a lesson as will make him behave better. ’Tisn’t pleasant, when you have grown cool after a fight, to think you have dangerously wounded or killed a man; not even if he tried to kill you. I felt that years ago, and I practised up, so that I can hit a man with a rifle just where I like—that is nearly always.”

“It was you who fired at those two wretches then?” I said eagerly.

“Of course it was, and I hit one in the leg, and the other in the hand. Did nearly as well as killing ’em, eh?”

“Yes,” I said, laughing. “I must practise too.”

“You shall, and I hope you’ll have no need to use your rifle afterwards, except on bears or deer. Where are you going?”

“Mr Raydon said I was to relieve one of the men.”

“So you shall, but the first one’s got an hour yet to be on duty. I’ll call you when you’re wanted. How’s Mr Gunson?”

“I’m just going to see,” I said; and I went up to the strangers’ quarters and looked in, to find Mrs Dean on duty by the bedside, and Esau seated by the fire, cutting out something which he informed me was part of a trap he had invented to catch squirrels.

“How is he?” I said in a low voice to Mrs Dean.

“Very bad, my dear, and so weak.”

“But hasn’t he shown any sign of recovering his senses?”

“No, my dear; and it does seem so discouraging.”

“Never mind, mother; you’ll cure him.”

“Hist!” I said.

“Well, I am whispering, ain’t I,” said Esau. “He couldn’t hear if I didn’t.”

“But he must be kept quiet, Esau, and you have such a big voice. Your whispers are as loud as some people’s shouts.”

“Hush!” I said, as I heard steps. “Mr Raydon.”

Mrs Dean rose and curtseyed as Mr Raydon entered, followed by Mr and Mrs John; and he looked surprised on seeing me there.

“Not on duty, Gordon?” he said.

“Mr Grey told me to wait till he was ready for me, sir.”

“Oh!—Well, Mrs Dean, how is your patient?”

“Seems to sleep very calmly and gently, sir. I did think he looked at me sensibly once, but I’m not sure.”

“Poor fellow!” said Mr Raydon gravely, as Mrs Dean left the place, followed by Esau, while I felt as if I should like to follow them; but I stayed, knowing that if I did go, Mr Raydon would think I felt guilty at being found there, when I was only obeying his officer’s orders. So I remained watching, and waiting to be called.

Mr Raydon bent over the couch, and laid his hand upon his patient’s head.

“Nice and cool. He must be mending, and sooner or later I believe he will recover. It is time, though, that he made some sign of returning consciousness. Ah, Mayne, my lad, this is the thirst for gold with a vengeance. I dreaded it; I have dreaded it for years. Poor fellow! A thorough gentleman at heart, but his desire for wealth was his ruin.”

The words leaped to my lips, but I felt that all Mr Gunson had told me of his former life was in confidence; and beside, Mr Raydon’s treatment did not encourage mine, so I was silent for a moment or so, gazing sadly at the thin worn face before me, and wishing that I was a clever doctor and able to cure him, when I started with surprise and pleasure, for Mr Gunson’s eyes opened, and he lay looking fixedly at me for some time in the midst of a painful silence.

Then a look of recognition came into his gaze, and he smiled at me faintly.

“Time to get up?” he said, in a whisper. “I—”

He looked quickly round then, and his face worked a little.

“Where am I?—what?” he faltered. “Mayne, where am I? Ah! I remember now,” he said, faintly.

Mr Raydon bent over him.

“Don’t try to talk, Gunson. You have been ill, but you are getting better now.”

“Yes,” he said, softly; “I remember. Struck down just now.”

I exchanged glances with Mr Raydon.

“No, not just now, because I have been lying here. Some one nursing me—yes,” he cried, with more energy, as his eyes rested on Mrs John’s sympathetic face, “you.”

“We have all nursed you,” said Mrs John, quietly. “But do not try to talk.”

“No,” he said, decisively; “but—there is one thing—must say—my claim—the gold.”

I saw Mr Raydon’s face pucker up, and a frown gather on his brow, but it cleared away directly, and he bent down over his patient, and laid his hand upon his forehead.

“Gunson, you must be quiet,” he said. “Your claim is quite safe. I have men protecting it, and no gold has been found or taken away.”

“Thank heaven!” sighed Gunson; and giving a grateful look round he closed his eyes, and seemed to go to sleep.

“Come away now,” whispered Mr Raydon. “You will stay with him?”

Mrs John bowed her head, and softly took the chair by the pillow, while we all stole gently out of the room.

“His first waking thought, John,” said Mr Raydon, bitterly; “gold—gold—gold. There, it is of no use to murmur: I must swallow my pet antipathy, I suppose.”

Once more the thought of all Mr Gunson had said to me came as words to my lips; but though my friend was being wrongly judged, I felt that I could not speak.

“Some day he will know all the truth,” I said, “and I must wait.”

Just then Grey came up.

“Your time, Gordon,” he said, abruptly. Then seeing our excited looks, he glanced towards the strangers’ quarters.

“Not worse, sir?” he said, eagerly.

“No, Grey; the turn has come—better,” said Mr Raydon.

Grey took off his fur cap, waved it in the air, and then with a satisfied smile he marched me off.

“That’s what I like to hear; he’ll be all right soon now. This place would set any man up. But I can’t understand the gov’nor. He was always mad against any one coming about here hunting for gold, and yet somehow he seems to have quite taken to your friend, who talks about nothing else.”

“Yes,” I said; “I can’t help thinking that he likes Mr Gunson.”

“Oh, there’s no doubt about it, my lad. We shall have him taking to gold-hunting himself one of these days.”

“Never,” I said, decisively, as we reached my post.

“Never’s a long day, boy,” said Grey, thoughtfully; “but I think you’re right.”

Chapter Fifty One.On active Service.The scouts went out again and again, and though they never saw the enemy, they always brought back reports that they were still in the little valley, and trying for gold there.Mr Barker had been up to the Fort with some of the principal gold-seekers, and Mr Raydon had been down to the valley, which had rapidly grown into a busy hive. But days glided by and no plans were made, while the enemy made not the slightest sign of their presence; and Mr Raydon said it was a mystery to him how they obtained provisions.Then, as no more attacks were made at the camp, the excitement gradually cooled down, and it was decided to leave the men alone so long as they remained peaceable, or until such time as the Governor of the colony was in a position to send up a little force to protect people, and ensure peace in his increasing settlement.The days glided on and Mr Gunson rapidly began to mend, while I spent all the time I could at his side—Mr Raydon quietly letting me see that I was only a visitor there, the companion of the sick man; and it was regularly settled that as soon as Mr Gunson was quite well again he was to return to his claim, and I was to go with him; Esau also having, after quite a verbal battle with his mother, determined to cast in his lot with ours.“And I shall be very glad to get away from this life of inaction,” Gunson said to me one day. “They are all wonderfully kind, and I am most grateful, but I think Raydon will be pleased to see us gone.”“Yes,” I said; “I shall be glad to go.”“You mean it, boy?” he said, smiling.“Yes; there is nothing I am wanted for, and I feel as if I were an intruder. It was an unlucky day when we found that gold.”“No,” cried Mr Gunson, with fierce energy; “a most fortunate day. You forget what it is going to do for me and mine.”“Yes; I spoke selfishly,” I said, bitterly.“Bah! don’t look back, boy; look forward,” he cried; and he suddenly became silent, and leaned back in his chair, gazing out through the open window at the wide prospect of hill, mountain, and dark green forest. “I am looking forward to being out again in those glorious pine-woods, breathing the sweet mountain air. I shall soon be quite strong again then.”I thought of my own wound, and how I had seemed to drink in health and strength as soon as I got out.“It would not be a bad life to settle down here,” continued Mr Gunson; “I should enjoy it. A beautiful life, far better than hunting for gold. But what about those scoundrels who made me like this? Is there any fresh news of them?”“None,” I said.“That’s bad. They may be in mischief. Awkward if they come and attack us again when we get back to the claim. Raydon must lend us some of his men, or else I must join forces with that Barker, though I would far rather keep the place to myself. But we cannot risk another such attack. You see what a coward weakness has made me.”“You a coward!” I cried, scornfully.“Yes, my lad,” he said, with a smile. “I do not feel a bit like a brave man should. Well,” he cried, with a laugh, “that is strange!”“What is?” I cried.“Look,” he said, pointing out of the window to a group of men coming in at the gate; “the very man I was speaking about—Barker.”“There’s something wrong,” I said, excitedly, as I sprang from my chair.“Go and see,” he cried; but I was already at the door, and rushed out just as Mr Raydon and Mr John came from the office, and Grey from one of the block-houses.“How are you?” said Barker, coming up with a serious look on his face that told of bad news before he spoke.Mr Raydon took the extended hand.“Well,” he said, “what is it? That gang again?”“Yes,” said Barker, rather huskily; “we were in hopes that we had seen the last of them, but they made an attack last night. We did not know till quite late this morning, when a man from the next claim went down to the bar nearest the big river.”“Yes, go on—quick!” said Mr Raydon.“They had been there some time in the night. There was a party of six working together, and I suppose they surprised them.”“Well?”“Two of the poor fellows are lying dead, sir, and the other four badly wounded. They have swept the place of everything, and got a good deal of gold.”As this bad news was told I could not look at Mr Raydon, for fear his eyes should gaze reproachfully into mine. I felt that he did glance at me as if to say—“Your work, Gordon!”But at that moment the visitor went on speaking—“I’ve come up, sir, with my mates, as we agreed to help one another. We are peaceable people, and we only ask to be let alone; but after last night’s work it must be war. This can’t go on.”“No,” said Mr Raydon, firmly.“We’re right away here from any settlement, and there might be no law at all for any help it can give us, so we must be our own judges and jury.”“No,” said Mr Raydon, firmly; “not that, but we must be our own soldiers and police.”“Then you will act with us, sir? You and your people know the country, and perhaps can lead us to where we can find and surprise them.”“If you all give me your undertaking that there shall be no unnecessary bloodshed, and that these men shall be merely seized and taken down to the coast, I will help you to the best of my power.”“Here’s my hand upon it,” cried Barker. “You’re more of a soldier than I am, so tell us what to do, and the sooner it’s done the better.”“Go back then at once, and get all your men together, and I will join you with all I can spare from the protection of my place.”“How long will you be, sir?”“Half an hour after you get back. But be quiet, and do not let a hint reach the enemy of what is afoot.”“You may trust us, sir,” said Barker. “Come on back, lads;” and all looking very stern and serious, the men turned and went steadily off.“You’ll take me, sir?” said Grey, appealingly.“I wish I could, my man,” replied Mr Raydon. “One of us must stay to take charge here, and my place is with the men to guard against excesses.”Grey looked disappointed, but he was soldier-like in his obedience to orders, and without another word he went with us to the block-house, where four men were selected and duly armed.All at once Mr Raydon turned, and found me gazing intently at him.“Well?” he said.“You will let me go too, sir?” I said.“No; you are too young to fight. Yes; you shall carry an extra rifle for me, and my surgical case.”I ran back to where Gunson lay impatiently waiting for news, and told him.“Yes,” he said, “it is quite right. This must be put down with a strong hand. Oh, if I had only strength to be one of the party! Mayne Gordon, I envy you.”Ten minutes later I was saying good-bye to Mrs John, who looked pale and horrified at the news she had heard, and began to object to my going, till Mr John whispered a few words to her, when she turned upon me a piteous look.“I am only going as the doctor’s assistant,” I said, lightly, but I felt as excited as if I were about to form one of a forlorn hope.“Ready?” said Mr Raydon, coming to the door. “Get to the men, Gordon. Good-bye, sister.”“But, Daniel!” she said, clinging to him; “is this necessary?”“Absolutely,” he replied. “John, I look to you to shoulder a rifle, and help to defend this place. Good-bye.”He shook hands hastily to avoid a painful parting, and strode out with me, so that I only had time to wave my hand to Mrs John, who was watching us as we tramped out of the gate—the five men by me looking stern and determined enough to be more than a match for the enemy, if it was a case of fair fighting, though that was too much to expect from such men as these.Hardly a word was spoken as we descended the valley, keeping close down to the river-side, till we reached the narrow entrance to the little gorge, whose stream came bubbling and plashing down into the pool, and we had not gone above a couple of hundred yards up it, when a stern voice bade us stand, and we found ourselves face to face with the whole strength of the mining camp.“That’s right, sir,” said Barker; “ready for action. Yes? Then what’s it to be?”“My plan is very simple,” replied Mr Raydon. “I propose going up the valley with my men to Gunson’s claim, where I shall, of course, join the four stationed there.”“That’s right,” said Barker. “We asked them to come with us, but they refused. Well, sir?”“You and your men will march down to the river, and descend till you are opposite the little vale where these people are hiding. You will find it very beautiful and park-like for the first half mile, but as the glade narrows it grows more dense, till it is filled from side to side with magnificent pines. You will spread your men out, to guard against the enemy passing you, and this will grow more and more easy as you go slowly on.”“I understand; and what are you going to do, sir?” said the man.“Come over the ridge, and through the forest which separates this valley from that, so as to get to the head of the little stream. Then we shall begin to descend, and, I hope, drive the scoundrels into your hands.”Barker gave his rifle-stock a hearty slap.“Capital!” he cried. “And you can get over there?”“I know every part here for miles round,” said Mr Raydon, as I felt quite startled at his plan being exactly the same as the one I had thought of. “I will set over there somehow.”“Then we shall have them between two fires, sir,” cried Barker—“good!”We parted directly after this, it being understood that the miners were to move slowly, so as to give us ample time to make our arrangements, get round over the mountain-ridge, and go down to meet them so as to have the enemy safely between us, Mr Raydon being of opinion that the sides of the valley in which they were encamped would be too steep to give them a chance of escape.We pressed on past the various little claims, with the place looking untidy and desolate, consequent upon the number of camping-places all along the beautiful stream; and whenever we came upon the more desolate places, with the traces of fire and burned trees, I saw Mr Raydon’s brow knit, and more than once he uttered an angry ejaculation.Gunson’s claim was neared at last, just as I was beginning to feel exhausted with the difficulties of the climb up the rugged rock-strewn track, and Mr Raydon was looking more severe than ever, when all at once, from out of the trees there rang out a sharp “Halt!” and there was the clicking of a rifle-lock.“Hah!” ejaculated Mr Raydon, brightening up at once at this display of watchfulness, which proved to him how trustworthy his men were. Then stepping to the front he shouted a few words, and the man who had spoken came from his post, which commanded an approach to the claim.We were met with an eager welcome, and in spite of the risks they would have to encounter, the four men were overjoyed at hearing of the business in hand, clearly showing that they were tired of their monotonous inactive life.A brief halt was made, during which our party lay about making a good meal; and then, at a word from Mr Raydon, they all sprang up together quite in military fashion, while he explained to the four men the plan.“We must try and get over here at once,” he said, as he glanced up at the tremendous wall of rock, piled up quite a thousand feet above our heads, and dotted with patches of trees, wherever there was soil or crevice in which a pine could take root.“Better place higher up, sir,” said one of the men. “There’s a little branch of the stream goes off west: I followed it the other day after a sheep. I think we could get far enough up the mountain then to cross over and strike the other stream.”“Right,” said Mr Raydon at once; “that will be better. All ready? Ammunition?”“Ready! ready!” rang along the little line.Mr Raydon nodded.“No talking, and go as silently as you can; sound travels in these high parts, and we do not know how high up the scoundrels may be camping. Now, understand once more—single file till we cross over into the other valley, then spread out as widely as the place will allow, and keep as level a line as possible. The object is to drive these men back to the mining party, and not one must break through our line now. You lead. I trust to you to get us well over into that valley.”The man who had spoken of the branch from the stream stepped to the front, rifles were shouldered, the word was given, and with Mr Raydon next to the leader, and I behind him, carrying a spare rifle and the surgical case, the advance was begun.

The scouts went out again and again, and though they never saw the enemy, they always brought back reports that they were still in the little valley, and trying for gold there.

Mr Barker had been up to the Fort with some of the principal gold-seekers, and Mr Raydon had been down to the valley, which had rapidly grown into a busy hive. But days glided by and no plans were made, while the enemy made not the slightest sign of their presence; and Mr Raydon said it was a mystery to him how they obtained provisions.

Then, as no more attacks were made at the camp, the excitement gradually cooled down, and it was decided to leave the men alone so long as they remained peaceable, or until such time as the Governor of the colony was in a position to send up a little force to protect people, and ensure peace in his increasing settlement.

The days glided on and Mr Gunson rapidly began to mend, while I spent all the time I could at his side—Mr Raydon quietly letting me see that I was only a visitor there, the companion of the sick man; and it was regularly settled that as soon as Mr Gunson was quite well again he was to return to his claim, and I was to go with him; Esau also having, after quite a verbal battle with his mother, determined to cast in his lot with ours.

“And I shall be very glad to get away from this life of inaction,” Gunson said to me one day. “They are all wonderfully kind, and I am most grateful, but I think Raydon will be pleased to see us gone.”

“Yes,” I said; “I shall be glad to go.”

“You mean it, boy?” he said, smiling.

“Yes; there is nothing I am wanted for, and I feel as if I were an intruder. It was an unlucky day when we found that gold.”

“No,” cried Mr Gunson, with fierce energy; “a most fortunate day. You forget what it is going to do for me and mine.”

“Yes; I spoke selfishly,” I said, bitterly.

“Bah! don’t look back, boy; look forward,” he cried; and he suddenly became silent, and leaned back in his chair, gazing out through the open window at the wide prospect of hill, mountain, and dark green forest. “I am looking forward to being out again in those glorious pine-woods, breathing the sweet mountain air. I shall soon be quite strong again then.”

I thought of my own wound, and how I had seemed to drink in health and strength as soon as I got out.

“It would not be a bad life to settle down here,” continued Mr Gunson; “I should enjoy it. A beautiful life, far better than hunting for gold. But what about those scoundrels who made me like this? Is there any fresh news of them?”

“None,” I said.

“That’s bad. They may be in mischief. Awkward if they come and attack us again when we get back to the claim. Raydon must lend us some of his men, or else I must join forces with that Barker, though I would far rather keep the place to myself. But we cannot risk another such attack. You see what a coward weakness has made me.”

“You a coward!” I cried, scornfully.

“Yes, my lad,” he said, with a smile. “I do not feel a bit like a brave man should. Well,” he cried, with a laugh, “that is strange!”

“What is?” I cried.

“Look,” he said, pointing out of the window to a group of men coming in at the gate; “the very man I was speaking about—Barker.”

“There’s something wrong,” I said, excitedly, as I sprang from my chair.

“Go and see,” he cried; but I was already at the door, and rushed out just as Mr Raydon and Mr John came from the office, and Grey from one of the block-houses.

“How are you?” said Barker, coming up with a serious look on his face that told of bad news before he spoke.

Mr Raydon took the extended hand.

“Well,” he said, “what is it? That gang again?”

“Yes,” said Barker, rather huskily; “we were in hopes that we had seen the last of them, but they made an attack last night. We did not know till quite late this morning, when a man from the next claim went down to the bar nearest the big river.”

“Yes, go on—quick!” said Mr Raydon.

“They had been there some time in the night. There was a party of six working together, and I suppose they surprised them.”

“Well?”

“Two of the poor fellows are lying dead, sir, and the other four badly wounded. They have swept the place of everything, and got a good deal of gold.”

As this bad news was told I could not look at Mr Raydon, for fear his eyes should gaze reproachfully into mine. I felt that he did glance at me as if to say—“Your work, Gordon!”

But at that moment the visitor went on speaking—

“I’ve come up, sir, with my mates, as we agreed to help one another. We are peaceable people, and we only ask to be let alone; but after last night’s work it must be war. This can’t go on.”

“No,” said Mr Raydon, firmly.

“We’re right away here from any settlement, and there might be no law at all for any help it can give us, so we must be our own judges and jury.”

“No,” said Mr Raydon, firmly; “not that, but we must be our own soldiers and police.”

“Then you will act with us, sir? You and your people know the country, and perhaps can lead us to where we can find and surprise them.”

“If you all give me your undertaking that there shall be no unnecessary bloodshed, and that these men shall be merely seized and taken down to the coast, I will help you to the best of my power.”

“Here’s my hand upon it,” cried Barker. “You’re more of a soldier than I am, so tell us what to do, and the sooner it’s done the better.”

“Go back then at once, and get all your men together, and I will join you with all I can spare from the protection of my place.”

“How long will you be, sir?”

“Half an hour after you get back. But be quiet, and do not let a hint reach the enemy of what is afoot.”

“You may trust us, sir,” said Barker. “Come on back, lads;” and all looking very stern and serious, the men turned and went steadily off.

“You’ll take me, sir?” said Grey, appealingly.

“I wish I could, my man,” replied Mr Raydon. “One of us must stay to take charge here, and my place is with the men to guard against excesses.”

Grey looked disappointed, but he was soldier-like in his obedience to orders, and without another word he went with us to the block-house, where four men were selected and duly armed.

All at once Mr Raydon turned, and found me gazing intently at him.

“Well?” he said.

“You will let me go too, sir?” I said.

“No; you are too young to fight. Yes; you shall carry an extra rifle for me, and my surgical case.”

I ran back to where Gunson lay impatiently waiting for news, and told him.

“Yes,” he said, “it is quite right. This must be put down with a strong hand. Oh, if I had only strength to be one of the party! Mayne Gordon, I envy you.”

Ten minutes later I was saying good-bye to Mrs John, who looked pale and horrified at the news she had heard, and began to object to my going, till Mr John whispered a few words to her, when she turned upon me a piteous look.

“I am only going as the doctor’s assistant,” I said, lightly, but I felt as excited as if I were about to form one of a forlorn hope.

“Ready?” said Mr Raydon, coming to the door. “Get to the men, Gordon. Good-bye, sister.”

“But, Daniel!” she said, clinging to him; “is this necessary?”

“Absolutely,” he replied. “John, I look to you to shoulder a rifle, and help to defend this place. Good-bye.”

He shook hands hastily to avoid a painful parting, and strode out with me, so that I only had time to wave my hand to Mrs John, who was watching us as we tramped out of the gate—the five men by me looking stern and determined enough to be more than a match for the enemy, if it was a case of fair fighting, though that was too much to expect from such men as these.

Hardly a word was spoken as we descended the valley, keeping close down to the river-side, till we reached the narrow entrance to the little gorge, whose stream came bubbling and plashing down into the pool, and we had not gone above a couple of hundred yards up it, when a stern voice bade us stand, and we found ourselves face to face with the whole strength of the mining camp.

“That’s right, sir,” said Barker; “ready for action. Yes? Then what’s it to be?”

“My plan is very simple,” replied Mr Raydon. “I propose going up the valley with my men to Gunson’s claim, where I shall, of course, join the four stationed there.”

“That’s right,” said Barker. “We asked them to come with us, but they refused. Well, sir?”

“You and your men will march down to the river, and descend till you are opposite the little vale where these people are hiding. You will find it very beautiful and park-like for the first half mile, but as the glade narrows it grows more dense, till it is filled from side to side with magnificent pines. You will spread your men out, to guard against the enemy passing you, and this will grow more and more easy as you go slowly on.”

“I understand; and what are you going to do, sir?” said the man.

“Come over the ridge, and through the forest which separates this valley from that, so as to get to the head of the little stream. Then we shall begin to descend, and, I hope, drive the scoundrels into your hands.”

Barker gave his rifle-stock a hearty slap.

“Capital!” he cried. “And you can get over there?”

“I know every part here for miles round,” said Mr Raydon, as I felt quite startled at his plan being exactly the same as the one I had thought of. “I will set over there somehow.”

“Then we shall have them between two fires, sir,” cried Barker—“good!”

We parted directly after this, it being understood that the miners were to move slowly, so as to give us ample time to make our arrangements, get round over the mountain-ridge, and go down to meet them so as to have the enemy safely between us, Mr Raydon being of opinion that the sides of the valley in which they were encamped would be too steep to give them a chance of escape.

We pressed on past the various little claims, with the place looking untidy and desolate, consequent upon the number of camping-places all along the beautiful stream; and whenever we came upon the more desolate places, with the traces of fire and burned trees, I saw Mr Raydon’s brow knit, and more than once he uttered an angry ejaculation.

Gunson’s claim was neared at last, just as I was beginning to feel exhausted with the difficulties of the climb up the rugged rock-strewn track, and Mr Raydon was looking more severe than ever, when all at once, from out of the trees there rang out a sharp “Halt!” and there was the clicking of a rifle-lock.

“Hah!” ejaculated Mr Raydon, brightening up at once at this display of watchfulness, which proved to him how trustworthy his men were. Then stepping to the front he shouted a few words, and the man who had spoken came from his post, which commanded an approach to the claim.

We were met with an eager welcome, and in spite of the risks they would have to encounter, the four men were overjoyed at hearing of the business in hand, clearly showing that they were tired of their monotonous inactive life.

A brief halt was made, during which our party lay about making a good meal; and then, at a word from Mr Raydon, they all sprang up together quite in military fashion, while he explained to the four men the plan.

“We must try and get over here at once,” he said, as he glanced up at the tremendous wall of rock, piled up quite a thousand feet above our heads, and dotted with patches of trees, wherever there was soil or crevice in which a pine could take root.

“Better place higher up, sir,” said one of the men. “There’s a little branch of the stream goes off west: I followed it the other day after a sheep. I think we could get far enough up the mountain then to cross over and strike the other stream.”

“Right,” said Mr Raydon at once; “that will be better. All ready? Ammunition?”

“Ready! ready!” rang along the little line.

Mr Raydon nodded.

“No talking, and go as silently as you can; sound travels in these high parts, and we do not know how high up the scoundrels may be camping. Now, understand once more—single file till we cross over into the other valley, then spread out as widely as the place will allow, and keep as level a line as possible. The object is to drive these men back to the mining party, and not one must break through our line now. You lead. I trust to you to get us well over into that valley.”

The man who had spoken of the branch from the stream stepped to the front, rifles were shouldered, the word was given, and with Mr Raydon next to the leader, and I behind him, carrying a spare rifle and the surgical case, the advance was begun.

Chapter Fifty Two.A new Enemy.We had not lost more than a quarter of an hour in this halt; but it was sufficient, as I found when I rose, to have cooled me down and made me feel fresh and ready for the arduous climb that we now had to make. Our path was along by the stream for a time, but more often right in it, for the valley grew narrower, and was frequently little more than a gigantic crack in the mountain-side; but so beautiful that I often longed to stop and gaze at the overhanging ferns and velvety moss by some foaming fall, where the water came down from above like so much fine misty rain.But there was no halting, and we kept on till the leader suddenly turned into a gloomy niche on our left, out of which another stream rushed; and here for some time we had to climb from rock to rock, and often drag ourselves on to some shelf by the overhanging roots of trees. The ascent was wonderfully steep, and sometimes so narrow that we were in a dim twilight with the sky far away above us, like a jagged line of light. As for the stream in whose bed we were, it was a succession of tiny falls now, and we were soon dripping from the waist downward.But no word was spoken, and the men worked together as if trained by long service to this kind of travelling. When some awkward rock had been climbed by the leader, he stopped and held down his hand to Mr Raydon, who sprang up and offered me the same assistance, while I, taking it as the proper thing to do, held my hand down to the next.For full two hours we struggled up this narrow rift before it became less deep, and the light nearer. Then the climbing was less difficult, and drier, and I could see that we were getting up more on to the open mountain-side, amid the bare rocks and piled-up stones. All at once the leader stopped short, and pointed up to where, quite half a mile away, I could see about a dozen sheep standing clearly defined against the sky, their heads with the great curled horns plainly visible. Some were feeding, but two stood above the rest as if on guard.Mr Raydon nodded, and the man said—“I lost sight of my sheep just below where you see those, sir, and I think if we keep on along for a mile beyond we shall find the stream we want running down into the other valley.”Mr Raydon stood shading his eyes for a few minutes.“Yes,” he said, at last. “You are quite right. I can see the mountain I have been on before. Forward!”The way was less arduous now, and the fresh breeze into which we had climbed made it cooler; but still it was laborious enough to make me pant as I followed right in Mr Raydon’s steps. Before we had gone on much further I saw the sheep take alarm, and go bounding up, diagonally, what looked like a vast wall of rock, and disappear; and when we had climbed just below where I had seen them bound, it seemed impossible that they could have found footing there.Another half-hour’s toilsome ascent, for the most part among loose stones, and we stood gazing down into a narrow gully similar to that up which we had climbed, and at the bottom I saw a little rushing stream, which Mr Raydon said was the one we sought, and I knew that we had but to follow that to where it joined the big river, after a journey through the dense mass of forest with which the valley was filled.Here we halted for a few minutes in a stony solitude, where there was not the faintest sound to be heard; and then Mr Raydon’s deep voice whispered “Forward!” and we began to descend cautiously, for the way down to the stream was so perilous that it was only by using the greatest care that we reached the bottom in safety, and began to follow the torrent downward.“No chance for them to escape by us this way,” said Mr Raydon to me with a grim smile, looking back as we descended the chasm in single file, gradually going as it were into twilight, and then almost into darkness, with perpendicular walls of rock on either hand, and the moist air filled with the echoing roar and rush of water.Here Mr Raydon took the lead, the man who had been in advance letting us both pass him, and then following behind, me.“I have been up this stream to this point before,” said Mr Raydon to me. “You never thought to see such places as this, Gordon,” he continued, “when you left London.”“No,” I said eagerly, for it was pleasant to hear him make some advances towards me; but he said no more, relapsing into complete silence as he strode on or leaped from rock to rock, till by degrees, and repeating our morning’s experience in the reverse way, we began to find the narrow gorge widen and grow less dark; then we came to places where the sunshine gleamed down, and there were ferns; then lower down to more light, and where bushes were plentiful, but still with the valley so narrow that we had to keep in single file.At last, the perpendicular walls were further back, the valley grew V-shaped, and patches of dwarf forest grew visible high up. Bigger trees appeared, and soon after the place became park-like, and a man stepped out to right and left, so that in front we were three abreast; and half an hour later we were amongst the thickly-growing pines—a line of eight men abreast with Mr Raydon in the middle, and I and the other behind.“Halt!” said Mr Raydon, in a whisper. “Join up.”The men from right and left drew in, and he said in quite a whisper—“The forest grows more and more dense here for miles away to the river. I propose now going on for another half-hour, to where there is a sudden narrowing in of the valley to about thirty yards. If we do not meet the enemy before this, I shall halt there, and keep that pass, waiting till they are driven up to us. But we may have them upon us at any moment now.”“They could not have got by us, sir?” I ventured to say.Mr Raydon looked at me, and smiled.“Impossible, my lad. Ready? Forward!”Our advance now was slow, as we had to pass in and out among the thickly-growing trees, and to be careful to keep in line as nearly as was possible. Every man was eager and excited, and from time to time, as I looked to right and left, I kept catching sight of one of our party pressing forward with rifle ready, and waiting to fire at the first sight of the enemy, this shot being the appointed signal for all to halt and stand fast, waiting for further orders.At last, after what in my excited state seemed to be hours, but which afterwards proved not to have been one, Mr Raydon said in a whisper—“There is the gate.”I stared, but could see nothing till we had gone a few yards further, when I found that two huge shoulders of the mountain had fallen in, and blocked the valley, which was narrowed here, as Mr Raydon said, to a sharply-cut passage of about thirty yards wide. Here we halted, and were disposed so that a dog could not pass through without being seen, and for a full hour we remained in utter silence, watching, till, unable to bear the inaction any longer, Mr Raydon said sharply—“Forward! Open out! I am afraid there is something wrong below. They ought to have been up here by this time.”We tramped on again now, still with the same precautions, but making as much speed as we could after our rest, though our pace was slow on account of the dense nature of the forest. I cannot tell how long we had been going downward, but suddenly, just as I was growing weary of the whole business, and thinking that the men were after all, perhaps, not here, or that we had come down the wrong valley, my blood rose to fever-heat again, for Mr Raydon whispered—“Halt!” and the word ran along to right and left. “Be ready,” he whispered again. And now I heard a faint muttering in front of us, similar to that which we had made in our progress; and at last, away among the great tree-trunks dimly seen in the shade, I caught sight of a man, then of another and another, and now Mr Raydon’s voice rang out hoarsely—“Halt, or we fire!”There was a low murmuring from before us, and a bit of a rush, as of men collecting together, and then a voice roared from among the trees—“Surrender there, or we will shoot you down to a man.”“Do you hear?” cried Mr Raydon. “Surrender! The game’s up, you scoundrels.”“Mr Raydon,” I whispered, excitedly, for I had caught sight of the advancing party, “don’t fire; it’s Mr Barker and his men.”“What? Hi! Barker! Is that you?”“Ay—ay!” came back. “That you, Mr Raydon?”“Yes, man, yes; where are the enemy?”“Why, I thought you was them,” cried Barker, advancing.“We thought the same,” said Mr Raydon, as he too stepped forward, and we all stood face to face. “Then they were not here. Or have you passed them?”“I don’t think—” began Barker.“Why, I told you so,” cried one of the men. “I felt sure I heard something out to our left among the trees hours ago.”“What?” cried Mr Raydon; “did you not open out your men in line?”“Far as we could,” said Barker, gruffly. “It’s so thick down below we couldn’t get along.”“Man!” cried Mr Raydon, “they’ve been too sharp for you, and let you pass. Why—oh, good heavens! they must have known of our plans. They’ll have stolen out at the mouth of the valley, gone up, and taken the Fort.”A dead silence reigned for a few minutes, as Mr Raydon stood thinking. Then suddenly—“We did not give them credit for being so sharp as they are,” he continued. “Here, forward all of you, back to the river. I hope my fears are wrong.”“Hadn’t we better go your way?” said Barker. “The forest is frightfully thick below, and it will take us hours.”“The way we came will take twice as long,” said Mr Raydon, sternly; “and it is one fearful climb right up into the mountain. We must go this way. Follow as quickly as possible. There will be no need to keep a look-out now.”The men mustered up without a word, and with Mr Raydon and Barker leading, we tramped on as fast as we could, but making very poor progress during the next hour, for all were growing hot and exhausted, and the labour was really terrible. But they pressed on in silence, while Mr Raydon and Barker talked together rather bitterly about the ill success of the expedition.We must have been walking about two hours when—“It will be night before we get to the Fort,” I heard the former say; “and who knows what may have happened there!”“But your men will make a fight for it,” said Barker.“My principal fellow, Grey, will fight to the death,” said Mr Raydon; “but there are not enough to hold the place. It is ruin and destruction. I ought not to have come.”“Hush!” I said, excitedly. “What’s that?”Mr Raydon stopped short, and held up his hand, when a low, dull, roaring sound as of a flood of water rushing up the valley was heard increasing rapidly.“Great heavens!” cried Mr Raydon, excitedly; “they have fired the forest down below.”And as he spoke there was a faint hot puff of air borne toward us, and with it the unmistakable odour of burning wood.A thrill of excitement ran through the men at the above words, and they looked at one another. The next moment they would have rushed back up the valley, but Mr Raydon cried sharply—“No, no, my lads; the fire cannot be right across the valley; let’s go on and try and pass it.”They seemed to be ready to obey the first who gave them orders, and Mr Raydon led on again, but in less then ten minutes, during which the hot puffs of air and the roar had increased rapidly, we were face to face with the fact that the fire was coming up like some terrible tide, evidently stretching right across from side to side, and already above our heads there were clouds of pungent smoke; and the crackle, roar, and hiss of the burning wood was rapidly growing louder.“Halt!” roared Mr Raydon. “It is death to go on. Back at once.”“But the sides,” cried Barker; “can’t we all climb up here?”“The fire would be on us before we were half-way up, even if we could climb, man,” said Mr Raydon, “which I doubt. Back at once!”“Yes; quick! quick!” shouted one of the men. “Look, look!”It did not need his shouts, for we could see the flames rushing up the higher trees, which seemed to flash with light, as if they had been strewn with powder; the heat was growing unbearable, and already I felt faint and giddy.It was quite time we were in full retreat, for there above our heads was a pall of black smoke, dotted with flakes of flame, and a horrible panic now smote the men as they hurried on.“Keep close to me, Gordon,” said Mr Raydon, glancing back. “Why, it is coming on like a hurricane of fire.”It was too true, for the hot wind rushed up between the towering walls of the valley as if through a funnel, and before many minutes had passed we knew that the forest was on fire where we so lately stood, and that it was rapidly growing into a race between man’s endurance and the wild rush of the flames.I looked back twice, to feel the hot glow of the fire on my face, and to see the lurid glare coming on with the black smoke-clouds wreathing up at terrific speed. Then as we tramped on with the roar behind us as of some vast furnace, there came explosions like the firing of guns; the crashes of small arms; and from time to time the fall of some tree sounded like thunder.The men needed no spurring to get on out of the dense labyrinth of trees, through which we toiled on hot to suffocation, breathless, and in mortal dread of being overtaken by the fearful enemy roaring in our rear. For, so rapid was the advance of the fire, that for a certainty a ten minutes’ halt would have been enough to have brought the line of fire up to us.“Don’t stop to look back,” cried Mr Raydon. “Press on, men; press on. Keep together.”I thought of the consequences of one of our party losing his way ever so little, and the men knew it only too well as they kept together in a little crowd which was constantly being broken up and separated by the trees round which they threaded their way.“Is there much more of this?” said Barker, suddenly appearing close to us.“Yes,” replied Mr Raydon; “miles.”“Shall we do it?” he panted.“With God’s help,” was Raydon’s quiet reply; and I saw Barker set his teeth hard, and throw his gun further over his shoulder as he bent down to his task.The narrow gate of the valley at last; and as we filed through the opening I wondered whether it would tend to check the advance of the fire, and began to wonder whether the trees were much thinner on the higher side. But I felt that they were not, and that it would be long enough before we struggled on to a place where we could be in safety; while what seemed directly after, there was a deafening roar which I knew to be that of the flames closed up by the narrow way, and leaping after us now, as if in dread that we should escape.“Man down!” shouted a voice; and in the horrible selfishness of their fear the rest were passing on, but at a word from Mr Raydon four of his men seized the poor exhausted fellow, each taking an arm or leg, and bearing him on, while a few drops were trickled from a flask between his lips.“Man down!” was shouted again; and this time the retreating party seized the poor fellow, following the example of our men, and bore him on, while he was submitted to the same treatment.Ten minutes after the poor fellows were on their feet again, struggling on with the support of the arms of two of their fellows.A dozen times over I felt that all was over, and that we might as well accept our fate. For we could hardly breathe, and now the sparks and flakes of fire and burning twigs came showering down upon us, as if sent forward by the main body of the flame to check us till the advance came on.The latter part of that retreat before our merciless enemy became to me at last like a dream, during which I have some recollection of staggering along with my arm in Mr Raydon’s, and the people about us tottering and blundering along as if drunk with horror and exhaustion. Every now and then men went down, but they struggled up again, and staggered on, a crew of wild, bloodshot-eyed creatures, whose lips were parched, and white with foam; and then something cool was being splashed on my face.“Coming round, sir?” said a familiar voice.“Yes; he’ll be better soon. A terrible experience, Mr Barker.”“Terrible isn’t the word for it, sir. I gave up a dozen times or so, and thought the end had come. Why, it was almost like a horse galloping. I never saw anything like it.”“Nor wish to see anything like it again,” said Mr Raydon.By this time I was looking round, to find that we were seated by the stream, where the water came bubbling and splashing down, while far below us the smoke and flame went up whirling into the sky.“Better, my lad?” said Mr Raydon.“Yes, only giddy,” I said; and after drinking heartily and washing my face in the fresh, cool water, I was ready to continue our journey.

We had not lost more than a quarter of an hour in this halt; but it was sufficient, as I found when I rose, to have cooled me down and made me feel fresh and ready for the arduous climb that we now had to make. Our path was along by the stream for a time, but more often right in it, for the valley grew narrower, and was frequently little more than a gigantic crack in the mountain-side; but so beautiful that I often longed to stop and gaze at the overhanging ferns and velvety moss by some foaming fall, where the water came down from above like so much fine misty rain.

But there was no halting, and we kept on till the leader suddenly turned into a gloomy niche on our left, out of which another stream rushed; and here for some time we had to climb from rock to rock, and often drag ourselves on to some shelf by the overhanging roots of trees. The ascent was wonderfully steep, and sometimes so narrow that we were in a dim twilight with the sky far away above us, like a jagged line of light. As for the stream in whose bed we were, it was a succession of tiny falls now, and we were soon dripping from the waist downward.

But no word was spoken, and the men worked together as if trained by long service to this kind of travelling. When some awkward rock had been climbed by the leader, he stopped and held down his hand to Mr Raydon, who sprang up and offered me the same assistance, while I, taking it as the proper thing to do, held my hand down to the next.

For full two hours we struggled up this narrow rift before it became less deep, and the light nearer. Then the climbing was less difficult, and drier, and I could see that we were getting up more on to the open mountain-side, amid the bare rocks and piled-up stones. All at once the leader stopped short, and pointed up to where, quite half a mile away, I could see about a dozen sheep standing clearly defined against the sky, their heads with the great curled horns plainly visible. Some were feeding, but two stood above the rest as if on guard.

Mr Raydon nodded, and the man said—

“I lost sight of my sheep just below where you see those, sir, and I think if we keep on along for a mile beyond we shall find the stream we want running down into the other valley.”

Mr Raydon stood shading his eyes for a few minutes.

“Yes,” he said, at last. “You are quite right. I can see the mountain I have been on before. Forward!”

The way was less arduous now, and the fresh breeze into which we had climbed made it cooler; but still it was laborious enough to make me pant as I followed right in Mr Raydon’s steps. Before we had gone on much further I saw the sheep take alarm, and go bounding up, diagonally, what looked like a vast wall of rock, and disappear; and when we had climbed just below where I had seen them bound, it seemed impossible that they could have found footing there.

Another half-hour’s toilsome ascent, for the most part among loose stones, and we stood gazing down into a narrow gully similar to that up which we had climbed, and at the bottom I saw a little rushing stream, which Mr Raydon said was the one we sought, and I knew that we had but to follow that to where it joined the big river, after a journey through the dense mass of forest with which the valley was filled.

Here we halted for a few minutes in a stony solitude, where there was not the faintest sound to be heard; and then Mr Raydon’s deep voice whispered “Forward!” and we began to descend cautiously, for the way down to the stream was so perilous that it was only by using the greatest care that we reached the bottom in safety, and began to follow the torrent downward.

“No chance for them to escape by us this way,” said Mr Raydon to me with a grim smile, looking back as we descended the chasm in single file, gradually going as it were into twilight, and then almost into darkness, with perpendicular walls of rock on either hand, and the moist air filled with the echoing roar and rush of water.

Here Mr Raydon took the lead, the man who had been in advance letting us both pass him, and then following behind, me.

“I have been up this stream to this point before,” said Mr Raydon to me. “You never thought to see such places as this, Gordon,” he continued, “when you left London.”

“No,” I said eagerly, for it was pleasant to hear him make some advances towards me; but he said no more, relapsing into complete silence as he strode on or leaped from rock to rock, till by degrees, and repeating our morning’s experience in the reverse way, we began to find the narrow gorge widen and grow less dark; then we came to places where the sunshine gleamed down, and there were ferns; then lower down to more light, and where bushes were plentiful, but still with the valley so narrow that we had to keep in single file.

At last, the perpendicular walls were further back, the valley grew V-shaped, and patches of dwarf forest grew visible high up. Bigger trees appeared, and soon after the place became park-like, and a man stepped out to right and left, so that in front we were three abreast; and half an hour later we were amongst the thickly-growing pines—a line of eight men abreast with Mr Raydon in the middle, and I and the other behind.

“Halt!” said Mr Raydon, in a whisper. “Join up.”

The men from right and left drew in, and he said in quite a whisper—

“The forest grows more and more dense here for miles away to the river. I propose now going on for another half-hour, to where there is a sudden narrowing in of the valley to about thirty yards. If we do not meet the enemy before this, I shall halt there, and keep that pass, waiting till they are driven up to us. But we may have them upon us at any moment now.”

“They could not have got by us, sir?” I ventured to say.

Mr Raydon looked at me, and smiled.

“Impossible, my lad. Ready? Forward!”

Our advance now was slow, as we had to pass in and out among the thickly-growing trees, and to be careful to keep in line as nearly as was possible. Every man was eager and excited, and from time to time, as I looked to right and left, I kept catching sight of one of our party pressing forward with rifle ready, and waiting to fire at the first sight of the enemy, this shot being the appointed signal for all to halt and stand fast, waiting for further orders.

At last, after what in my excited state seemed to be hours, but which afterwards proved not to have been one, Mr Raydon said in a whisper—

“There is the gate.”

I stared, but could see nothing till we had gone a few yards further, when I found that two huge shoulders of the mountain had fallen in, and blocked the valley, which was narrowed here, as Mr Raydon said, to a sharply-cut passage of about thirty yards wide. Here we halted, and were disposed so that a dog could not pass through without being seen, and for a full hour we remained in utter silence, watching, till, unable to bear the inaction any longer, Mr Raydon said sharply—

“Forward! Open out! I am afraid there is something wrong below. They ought to have been up here by this time.”

We tramped on again now, still with the same precautions, but making as much speed as we could after our rest, though our pace was slow on account of the dense nature of the forest. I cannot tell how long we had been going downward, but suddenly, just as I was growing weary of the whole business, and thinking that the men were after all, perhaps, not here, or that we had come down the wrong valley, my blood rose to fever-heat again, for Mr Raydon whispered—

“Halt!” and the word ran along to right and left. “Be ready,” he whispered again. And now I heard a faint muttering in front of us, similar to that which we had made in our progress; and at last, away among the great tree-trunks dimly seen in the shade, I caught sight of a man, then of another and another, and now Mr Raydon’s voice rang out hoarsely—

“Halt, or we fire!”

There was a low murmuring from before us, and a bit of a rush, as of men collecting together, and then a voice roared from among the trees—

“Surrender there, or we will shoot you down to a man.”

“Do you hear?” cried Mr Raydon. “Surrender! The game’s up, you scoundrels.”

“Mr Raydon,” I whispered, excitedly, for I had caught sight of the advancing party, “don’t fire; it’s Mr Barker and his men.”

“What? Hi! Barker! Is that you?”

“Ay—ay!” came back. “That you, Mr Raydon?”

“Yes, man, yes; where are the enemy?”

“Why, I thought you was them,” cried Barker, advancing.

“We thought the same,” said Mr Raydon, as he too stepped forward, and we all stood face to face. “Then they were not here. Or have you passed them?”

“I don’t think—” began Barker.

“Why, I told you so,” cried one of the men. “I felt sure I heard something out to our left among the trees hours ago.”

“What?” cried Mr Raydon; “did you not open out your men in line?”

“Far as we could,” said Barker, gruffly. “It’s so thick down below we couldn’t get along.”

“Man!” cried Mr Raydon, “they’ve been too sharp for you, and let you pass. Why—oh, good heavens! they must have known of our plans. They’ll have stolen out at the mouth of the valley, gone up, and taken the Fort.”

A dead silence reigned for a few minutes, as Mr Raydon stood thinking. Then suddenly—

“We did not give them credit for being so sharp as they are,” he continued. “Here, forward all of you, back to the river. I hope my fears are wrong.”

“Hadn’t we better go your way?” said Barker. “The forest is frightfully thick below, and it will take us hours.”

“The way we came will take twice as long,” said Mr Raydon, sternly; “and it is one fearful climb right up into the mountain. We must go this way. Follow as quickly as possible. There will be no need to keep a look-out now.”

The men mustered up without a word, and with Mr Raydon and Barker leading, we tramped on as fast as we could, but making very poor progress during the next hour, for all were growing hot and exhausted, and the labour was really terrible. But they pressed on in silence, while Mr Raydon and Barker talked together rather bitterly about the ill success of the expedition.

We must have been walking about two hours when—

“It will be night before we get to the Fort,” I heard the former say; “and who knows what may have happened there!”

“But your men will make a fight for it,” said Barker.

“My principal fellow, Grey, will fight to the death,” said Mr Raydon; “but there are not enough to hold the place. It is ruin and destruction. I ought not to have come.”

“Hush!” I said, excitedly. “What’s that?”

Mr Raydon stopped short, and held up his hand, when a low, dull, roaring sound as of a flood of water rushing up the valley was heard increasing rapidly.

“Great heavens!” cried Mr Raydon, excitedly; “they have fired the forest down below.”

And as he spoke there was a faint hot puff of air borne toward us, and with it the unmistakable odour of burning wood.

A thrill of excitement ran through the men at the above words, and they looked at one another. The next moment they would have rushed back up the valley, but Mr Raydon cried sharply—

“No, no, my lads; the fire cannot be right across the valley; let’s go on and try and pass it.”

They seemed to be ready to obey the first who gave them orders, and Mr Raydon led on again, but in less then ten minutes, during which the hot puffs of air and the roar had increased rapidly, we were face to face with the fact that the fire was coming up like some terrible tide, evidently stretching right across from side to side, and already above our heads there were clouds of pungent smoke; and the crackle, roar, and hiss of the burning wood was rapidly growing louder.

“Halt!” roared Mr Raydon. “It is death to go on. Back at once.”

“But the sides,” cried Barker; “can’t we all climb up here?”

“The fire would be on us before we were half-way up, even if we could climb, man,” said Mr Raydon, “which I doubt. Back at once!”

“Yes; quick! quick!” shouted one of the men. “Look, look!”

It did not need his shouts, for we could see the flames rushing up the higher trees, which seemed to flash with light, as if they had been strewn with powder; the heat was growing unbearable, and already I felt faint and giddy.

It was quite time we were in full retreat, for there above our heads was a pall of black smoke, dotted with flakes of flame, and a horrible panic now smote the men as they hurried on.

“Keep close to me, Gordon,” said Mr Raydon, glancing back. “Why, it is coming on like a hurricane of fire.”

It was too true, for the hot wind rushed up between the towering walls of the valley as if through a funnel, and before many minutes had passed we knew that the forest was on fire where we so lately stood, and that it was rapidly growing into a race between man’s endurance and the wild rush of the flames.

I looked back twice, to feel the hot glow of the fire on my face, and to see the lurid glare coming on with the black smoke-clouds wreathing up at terrific speed. Then as we tramped on with the roar behind us as of some vast furnace, there came explosions like the firing of guns; the crashes of small arms; and from time to time the fall of some tree sounded like thunder.

The men needed no spurring to get on out of the dense labyrinth of trees, through which we toiled on hot to suffocation, breathless, and in mortal dread of being overtaken by the fearful enemy roaring in our rear. For, so rapid was the advance of the fire, that for a certainty a ten minutes’ halt would have been enough to have brought the line of fire up to us.

“Don’t stop to look back,” cried Mr Raydon. “Press on, men; press on. Keep together.”

I thought of the consequences of one of our party losing his way ever so little, and the men knew it only too well as they kept together in a little crowd which was constantly being broken up and separated by the trees round which they threaded their way.

“Is there much more of this?” said Barker, suddenly appearing close to us.

“Yes,” replied Mr Raydon; “miles.”

“Shall we do it?” he panted.

“With God’s help,” was Raydon’s quiet reply; and I saw Barker set his teeth hard, and throw his gun further over his shoulder as he bent down to his task.

The narrow gate of the valley at last; and as we filed through the opening I wondered whether it would tend to check the advance of the fire, and began to wonder whether the trees were much thinner on the higher side. But I felt that they were not, and that it would be long enough before we struggled on to a place where we could be in safety; while what seemed directly after, there was a deafening roar which I knew to be that of the flames closed up by the narrow way, and leaping after us now, as if in dread that we should escape.

“Man down!” shouted a voice; and in the horrible selfishness of their fear the rest were passing on, but at a word from Mr Raydon four of his men seized the poor exhausted fellow, each taking an arm or leg, and bearing him on, while a few drops were trickled from a flask between his lips.

“Man down!” was shouted again; and this time the retreating party seized the poor fellow, following the example of our men, and bore him on, while he was submitted to the same treatment.

Ten minutes after the poor fellows were on their feet again, struggling on with the support of the arms of two of their fellows.

A dozen times over I felt that all was over, and that we might as well accept our fate. For we could hardly breathe, and now the sparks and flakes of fire and burning twigs came showering down upon us, as if sent forward by the main body of the flame to check us till the advance came on.

The latter part of that retreat before our merciless enemy became to me at last like a dream, during which I have some recollection of staggering along with my arm in Mr Raydon’s, and the people about us tottering and blundering along as if drunk with horror and exhaustion. Every now and then men went down, but they struggled up again, and staggered on, a crew of wild, bloodshot-eyed creatures, whose lips were parched, and white with foam; and then something cool was being splashed on my face.

“Coming round, sir?” said a familiar voice.

“Yes; he’ll be better soon. A terrible experience, Mr Barker.”

“Terrible isn’t the word for it, sir. I gave up a dozen times or so, and thought the end had come. Why, it was almost like a horse galloping. I never saw anything like it.”

“Nor wish to see anything like it again,” said Mr Raydon.

By this time I was looking round, to find that we were seated by the stream, where the water came bubbling and splashing down, while far below us the smoke and flame went up whirling into the sky.

“Better, my lad?” said Mr Raydon.

“Yes, only giddy,” I said; and after drinking heartily and washing my face in the fresh, cool water, I was ready to continue our journey.

Chapter Fifty Three.Mr John’s Scruples.It was a dreary, toilsome climb up the narrow portion of the valley, and it was quite dark by the time we had reached the spot where we descended first that morning, and consequently our task grew more risky and difficult; but there was no shrinking, and following in each other’s steps, we went on over the bare mountain below where the sheep had been seen, and with no other light than that of the stars, descended into the narrow gorge which led down into Golden Valley.Here we of necessity, on reaching Gunson’s claim, made a halt to refresh; but as soon as possible Mr Raydon gave the word “Forward!” again, and the men stepped out better, for this was all well-known ground.Five-minute halts were made twice on the way down, so as to obtain food at a couple of tents. Then it was on again, and the river was reached at last, and the steady upward trudge commenced for the Fort.Mr Raydon did not speak, but I felt that his thoughts must have been the same as mine, as I wondered what had taken place, and whether he was right in his belief that the enemy had gone up to the Fort after firing the forest.All doubt was cleared when we were about half a mile from our destination, for there suddenly boomed out on the still night air, to echo and die rumbling away among the mountains, the heavy report of one of the small cannon of the block-houses, and this sound sent the men onward at double speed, for it meant not only that the Fort was attacked, but that Grey and those with him were making a brave defence.“Steady, steady!” said Mr Raydon, in a low, stern voice. “We must get up there ready for a run in. You are out of breath, my lads.”The men from the Fort, who were in front, slowed down a little at this, dropping from the double into a sharp, quick walk; but the report of a second gun, and then the crackle of rifle-firing, started them again into a steady trot, and I found myself forgetting my weariness, and running by Mr Raydon step for step.The firing grew sharper as we neared the palisade, which was dimly seen in the starlight, and the flashes of the rifles and the lights we saw going here and there added to the excitement of the scene as Mr Raydon said aloud—“They have got in, and are trying to take the west block-house. Too late! they have taken it,” he cried, as a burst of cheering rose from within the great fence. Then in a quick whisper he bade the men halt, about a dozen yards from the gateway.“Mr Barker,” he said, “keep the gate, and come to our help if we want it. Don’t let a man pass. No bloodshed if you can help it—prisoners. Now, Hudson’s Bay boys, ready!”A fresh burst of cheering arose just then, and directly after the loud shriek of a woman, and a voice I knew as Esau’s roaring out angry words.“Forward!” said Mr Raydon. “Open out into line, and use the butts of your rifles.”I ran with them from the force of example, and carried away by the excitement, as our men charged rapidly across the enclosure to where, in happy ignorance of the fact that help was at hand, the gang of scoundrels were busy binding their prisoners, whom they had just dragged out of the block-house. But the next minute there was a yell of rage and hate, with the sound of heavy blows, pistol-shots, oaths and curses, and then the pattering of feet, and Mr Raydon’s voice rang out.“Four men your way,” he cried; and directly after there was a repetition of the blows, shots, and yells, followed by a cheer from the gate.For the last of the gang had been beaten down, and as pine-torches were lit, the wounded were separated from the uninjured, and these latter were placed in rows under a strong guard; while explanations followed, Grey assuring us that the women were safe; that the cry came from Mrs Dean, who had tried to protect her son; and that we had come just in time, after a desperate struggle, first at the gate, and lastly at the block-house, which he had defended as vigorously as his limited means would allow. But at last, after being wounded twice, and his two most helpful men laid low, he had succumbed to a desperate rush.Day broke on as wild a looking set as can be imagined; jaded, exhausted, blackened with smoke, our men sat and lay about for the most part unhurt, though several showed traces of the desperate struggle made by the surprised gang, whose one-handed leader told Mr Raydon with a savage oath that he thought our party had been burned in the forest.“Then it was your doing,” said Barker, fiercely.“Course it was,” said the ruffian. “Give me a chance, and I’ll burn this place too.”Barker raised his fist to strike the fellow, but Mr Raydon seized his arm.“Don’t do that,” he said; “we shall not give him a chance.”And so it proved, for that night, when I rose after a long deep sleep, I found that a party had started down the valley with the prisoners.“You came just in time, Mayne Gordon,” said Mr John to me. “I was so frightened that it made me desperate too. I’m afraid I hurt one man.”“You did, sir,” I said laughing. “Grey told me how you swung your rifle round, and struck him down.”“I did, my boy, I did,” he said. “Don’t laugh. I do not feel satisfied that I did right.”“You did it to defend your wife,” said Mr Raydon, who came up; “and I never felt so proud of you before, John. There, I must go and see my injured men.”

It was a dreary, toilsome climb up the narrow portion of the valley, and it was quite dark by the time we had reached the spot where we descended first that morning, and consequently our task grew more risky and difficult; but there was no shrinking, and following in each other’s steps, we went on over the bare mountain below where the sheep had been seen, and with no other light than that of the stars, descended into the narrow gorge which led down into Golden Valley.

Here we of necessity, on reaching Gunson’s claim, made a halt to refresh; but as soon as possible Mr Raydon gave the word “Forward!” again, and the men stepped out better, for this was all well-known ground.

Five-minute halts were made twice on the way down, so as to obtain food at a couple of tents. Then it was on again, and the river was reached at last, and the steady upward trudge commenced for the Fort.

Mr Raydon did not speak, but I felt that his thoughts must have been the same as mine, as I wondered what had taken place, and whether he was right in his belief that the enemy had gone up to the Fort after firing the forest.

All doubt was cleared when we were about half a mile from our destination, for there suddenly boomed out on the still night air, to echo and die rumbling away among the mountains, the heavy report of one of the small cannon of the block-houses, and this sound sent the men onward at double speed, for it meant not only that the Fort was attacked, but that Grey and those with him were making a brave defence.

“Steady, steady!” said Mr Raydon, in a low, stern voice. “We must get up there ready for a run in. You are out of breath, my lads.”

The men from the Fort, who were in front, slowed down a little at this, dropping from the double into a sharp, quick walk; but the report of a second gun, and then the crackle of rifle-firing, started them again into a steady trot, and I found myself forgetting my weariness, and running by Mr Raydon step for step.

The firing grew sharper as we neared the palisade, which was dimly seen in the starlight, and the flashes of the rifles and the lights we saw going here and there added to the excitement of the scene as Mr Raydon said aloud—

“They have got in, and are trying to take the west block-house. Too late! they have taken it,” he cried, as a burst of cheering rose from within the great fence. Then in a quick whisper he bade the men halt, about a dozen yards from the gateway.

“Mr Barker,” he said, “keep the gate, and come to our help if we want it. Don’t let a man pass. No bloodshed if you can help it—prisoners. Now, Hudson’s Bay boys, ready!”

A fresh burst of cheering arose just then, and directly after the loud shriek of a woman, and a voice I knew as Esau’s roaring out angry words.

“Forward!” said Mr Raydon. “Open out into line, and use the butts of your rifles.”

I ran with them from the force of example, and carried away by the excitement, as our men charged rapidly across the enclosure to where, in happy ignorance of the fact that help was at hand, the gang of scoundrels were busy binding their prisoners, whom they had just dragged out of the block-house. But the next minute there was a yell of rage and hate, with the sound of heavy blows, pistol-shots, oaths and curses, and then the pattering of feet, and Mr Raydon’s voice rang out.

“Four men your way,” he cried; and directly after there was a repetition of the blows, shots, and yells, followed by a cheer from the gate.

For the last of the gang had been beaten down, and as pine-torches were lit, the wounded were separated from the uninjured, and these latter were placed in rows under a strong guard; while explanations followed, Grey assuring us that the women were safe; that the cry came from Mrs Dean, who had tried to protect her son; and that we had come just in time, after a desperate struggle, first at the gate, and lastly at the block-house, which he had defended as vigorously as his limited means would allow. But at last, after being wounded twice, and his two most helpful men laid low, he had succumbed to a desperate rush.

Day broke on as wild a looking set as can be imagined; jaded, exhausted, blackened with smoke, our men sat and lay about for the most part unhurt, though several showed traces of the desperate struggle made by the surprised gang, whose one-handed leader told Mr Raydon with a savage oath that he thought our party had been burned in the forest.

“Then it was your doing,” said Barker, fiercely.

“Course it was,” said the ruffian. “Give me a chance, and I’ll burn this place too.”

Barker raised his fist to strike the fellow, but Mr Raydon seized his arm.

“Don’t do that,” he said; “we shall not give him a chance.”

And so it proved, for that night, when I rose after a long deep sleep, I found that a party had started down the valley with the prisoners.

“You came just in time, Mayne Gordon,” said Mr John to me. “I was so frightened that it made me desperate too. I’m afraid I hurt one man.”

“You did, sir,” I said laughing. “Grey told me how you swung your rifle round, and struck him down.”

“I did, my boy, I did,” he said. “Don’t laugh. I do not feel satisfied that I did right.”

“You did it to defend your wife,” said Mr Raydon, who came up; “and I never felt so proud of you before, John. There, I must go and see my injured men.”

Chapter Fifty Four.We make a fresh Start.The wounded prisoners were not got rid of for quite a fortnight, during which time matters settled down again into the regular routine, one of my principal tasks being helping Mr Gunson to take little walks, then longer and longer ones, after which we used to go and have a chat with Grey, who made very light of his wounds.One day I asked leave of Mr Raydon to go and have a look at the valley where we had had so narrow an escape. He gave me leave freely enough; and as Mr Gunson did not care to accompany me, saying he had no taste for works in charcoal, I asked leave for Esau to come; and in due time we stood at the mouth of the valley gazing up.“’Nuff to make a fellow sit down and cry,” said Esau, as I recalled our escape.“Pitiful!” I said sadly.“Ah, that ain’t half strong enough,” he said, as we tramped on amongst the ashes and charred wood, with the tall stumps of the great pines standing burned for the most part to sharp points, and looking like landmarks to show the terrible devastation in the once lovely wooded vale.“I only feel as if I could not use words strong enough,” I replied, as we slowly tramped on, with the charred wood cracking under our feet, and the only thing that redeemed the burned region being the beautiful stream which rushed and leaped and sparkled, just as it had been wont before the fire scorched the whole place into a desert.“Why, it’ll take hundreds of years for the trees to grow up again, if they ever do, for it strikes me the fire’s spoiled even the ground.”“It may,” I said sadly.“Well, it’s too hot to go on any further,” said Esau. “Let’s go back. Ugh! see how black we’re getting. I say, look! I can’t see a single green thing. Everything’s burnt!”“Yes,” I said; “and this was to have been our home.”“What!” cried Esau, giving such a start that he raised a little puff of black dust.“This valley, with its pleasant meadows and the park-like entrance, was to have been our home. Mr Raydon had chosen it for Mr and Mrs John.”“Well,” cried Esau; “then it is too bad. It was bad enough before for such a glorious place to be burned up; but as it was to have been ours—Oh, I hope they’ll transport those fellows for life.”We tramped back, having seen enough of the desolation to make our hearts ache, and stayed for a couple of hours in the lower part catching trout to take back with us before starting homeward, and passing two parties of gold-diggers from the coast on their way to the Golden Valley.They asked us eagerly to direct them, and I showed them the way with a curious feeling of dissatisfaction.But that was of little use, for if I had not pointed out the way some one else would, for the news had spread far and wide, and the gold-washing was going on more vigorously every day. Crowds of people were flocking up the valleys, some to gain fortunes, but the greater part nothing but ill-health and disappointment.The constant accessions of strangers made it the more difficult for Gunson’s claim to be held; but, in spite of all opposition and complaint, this was done, the four men, or others in their place, being always kept on guard.At last came the day when, in spite of Mr Raydon’s advice to stay longer, Gunson declared himself quite strong and well.“I am anxious to get back,” he said, “and the more so that I am keeping your men there.”“I have not complained,” said Mr Raydon.“No; and you puzzle me,” replied Gunson. “I should have thought you would have tried all you could to keep me back.”“Why should I? What difference does one make?”“Then one more or less is of no consequence?” said Gunson, laughing. “Well, I am not going to repeat all I have said before as to being grateful.”“I beg you will not,” said Mr Raydon. “We had our duty to do to a sick man, and we have done it.”“Nobly,” said Gunson, warmly.“And you intend to start?”“To-morrow morning, eagerly but unwillingly, for I am loth to leave the society of the tender friends who have nursed me back to life.”He looked at Mrs John and then at Mr John, ending by beckoning to me to come out with him into the enclosure, where Mr Raydon joined us, to begin talking about the stores he meant Gunson to have.“But really, I cannot be putting myself under fresh obligations,” said Gunson.“Very well then,” said Mr Raydon, rather bitterly; “pay me, and be independent.” Then facing round and looking at me, and at Esau, who was some little distance away, he said sharply—“You will take these two lads to help you, of course?”“Yes,” said Gunson, as the blood flushed to my temples, “of course. I could not do without them.” I saw Mr Raydon frown, but no more was said, and we spent the rest of the day making preparations for our start, Mrs Dean helping, with the tears trickling down her cheeks as she worked, and bringing forth appeal after appeal from Esau not “to do that.” Those few hours seemed to run away, so that it was night long before I expected it, and at last I went to Mr Raydon’s quarters to say good-bye.“There is no need,” said Mr John, sadly. “The morning will do.”“But we start directly after daylight,” I said. “Yes, I know; but we shall be up to see you off.” I went away to my own quarters sadly dispirited; and my feelings were not brightened by the scene going on between Esau and his mother; and I gladly went out into the cool dark night to try and grow composed, when a high-pitched voice saluted me.“Allee leady,” it said. “Plenty tea, plenty flou, plenty bacon. Quong velly glad to go.”I could not say the same, and I passed a very poor night, gladly rising at Gunson’s call, and dressing in the half-darkness, so eager was I to get the painful farewells over and make a start.Mr and Mrs John had kept their words, and Mrs Dean was waiting to kiss me and say good-bye, and beg me to take care of Esau.“For he is so rash,” she whimpered. “Do keep him out of danger, my dear.”I promised, and it was understood that we all parted the best of friends, Mr Raydon inviting us all to come over and see them when we chose, and offering to take charge of any gold Gunson might feel disposed to bring over to the Fort.Then we were off, all well laden, and with two of the men and their Indian wives to carry stores.The way chosen was through the forest, and away over the mountain ridge, so as to avoid passing all the little camps; and in due time we reached the claim, dismissed the bearers, and once more settled down to our work.“We must try hard to make up for lost time, my lads,” said Gunson. “Why, Gordon, you don’t seem to relish the task.”“Oh, yes,” I said, “only I feel a little dull at leaving the Fort.”

The wounded prisoners were not got rid of for quite a fortnight, during which time matters settled down again into the regular routine, one of my principal tasks being helping Mr Gunson to take little walks, then longer and longer ones, after which we used to go and have a chat with Grey, who made very light of his wounds.

One day I asked leave of Mr Raydon to go and have a look at the valley where we had had so narrow an escape. He gave me leave freely enough; and as Mr Gunson did not care to accompany me, saying he had no taste for works in charcoal, I asked leave for Esau to come; and in due time we stood at the mouth of the valley gazing up.

“’Nuff to make a fellow sit down and cry,” said Esau, as I recalled our escape.

“Pitiful!” I said sadly.

“Ah, that ain’t half strong enough,” he said, as we tramped on amongst the ashes and charred wood, with the tall stumps of the great pines standing burned for the most part to sharp points, and looking like landmarks to show the terrible devastation in the once lovely wooded vale.

“I only feel as if I could not use words strong enough,” I replied, as we slowly tramped on, with the charred wood cracking under our feet, and the only thing that redeemed the burned region being the beautiful stream which rushed and leaped and sparkled, just as it had been wont before the fire scorched the whole place into a desert.

“Why, it’ll take hundreds of years for the trees to grow up again, if they ever do, for it strikes me the fire’s spoiled even the ground.”

“It may,” I said sadly.

“Well, it’s too hot to go on any further,” said Esau. “Let’s go back. Ugh! see how black we’re getting. I say, look! I can’t see a single green thing. Everything’s burnt!”

“Yes,” I said; “and this was to have been our home.”

“What!” cried Esau, giving such a start that he raised a little puff of black dust.

“This valley, with its pleasant meadows and the park-like entrance, was to have been our home. Mr Raydon had chosen it for Mr and Mrs John.”

“Well,” cried Esau; “then it is too bad. It was bad enough before for such a glorious place to be burned up; but as it was to have been ours—Oh, I hope they’ll transport those fellows for life.”

We tramped back, having seen enough of the desolation to make our hearts ache, and stayed for a couple of hours in the lower part catching trout to take back with us before starting homeward, and passing two parties of gold-diggers from the coast on their way to the Golden Valley.

They asked us eagerly to direct them, and I showed them the way with a curious feeling of dissatisfaction.

But that was of little use, for if I had not pointed out the way some one else would, for the news had spread far and wide, and the gold-washing was going on more vigorously every day. Crowds of people were flocking up the valleys, some to gain fortunes, but the greater part nothing but ill-health and disappointment.

The constant accessions of strangers made it the more difficult for Gunson’s claim to be held; but, in spite of all opposition and complaint, this was done, the four men, or others in their place, being always kept on guard.

At last came the day when, in spite of Mr Raydon’s advice to stay longer, Gunson declared himself quite strong and well.

“I am anxious to get back,” he said, “and the more so that I am keeping your men there.”

“I have not complained,” said Mr Raydon.

“No; and you puzzle me,” replied Gunson. “I should have thought you would have tried all you could to keep me back.”

“Why should I? What difference does one make?”

“Then one more or less is of no consequence?” said Gunson, laughing. “Well, I am not going to repeat all I have said before as to being grateful.”

“I beg you will not,” said Mr Raydon. “We had our duty to do to a sick man, and we have done it.”

“Nobly,” said Gunson, warmly.

“And you intend to start?”

“To-morrow morning, eagerly but unwillingly, for I am loth to leave the society of the tender friends who have nursed me back to life.”

He looked at Mrs John and then at Mr John, ending by beckoning to me to come out with him into the enclosure, where Mr Raydon joined us, to begin talking about the stores he meant Gunson to have.

“But really, I cannot be putting myself under fresh obligations,” said Gunson.

“Very well then,” said Mr Raydon, rather bitterly; “pay me, and be independent.” Then facing round and looking at me, and at Esau, who was some little distance away, he said sharply—

“You will take these two lads to help you, of course?”

“Yes,” said Gunson, as the blood flushed to my temples, “of course. I could not do without them.” I saw Mr Raydon frown, but no more was said, and we spent the rest of the day making preparations for our start, Mrs Dean helping, with the tears trickling down her cheeks as she worked, and bringing forth appeal after appeal from Esau not “to do that.” Those few hours seemed to run away, so that it was night long before I expected it, and at last I went to Mr Raydon’s quarters to say good-bye.

“There is no need,” said Mr John, sadly. “The morning will do.”

“But we start directly after daylight,” I said. “Yes, I know; but we shall be up to see you off.” I went away to my own quarters sadly dispirited; and my feelings were not brightened by the scene going on between Esau and his mother; and I gladly went out into the cool dark night to try and grow composed, when a high-pitched voice saluted me.

“Allee leady,” it said. “Plenty tea, plenty flou, plenty bacon. Quong velly glad to go.”

I could not say the same, and I passed a very poor night, gladly rising at Gunson’s call, and dressing in the half-darkness, so eager was I to get the painful farewells over and make a start.

Mr and Mrs John had kept their words, and Mrs Dean was waiting to kiss me and say good-bye, and beg me to take care of Esau.

“For he is so rash,” she whimpered. “Do keep him out of danger, my dear.”

I promised, and it was understood that we all parted the best of friends, Mr Raydon inviting us all to come over and see them when we chose, and offering to take charge of any gold Gunson might feel disposed to bring over to the Fort.

Then we were off, all well laden, and with two of the men and their Indian wives to carry stores.

The way chosen was through the forest, and away over the mountain ridge, so as to avoid passing all the little camps; and in due time we reached the claim, dismissed the bearers, and once more settled down to our work.

“We must try hard to make up for lost time, my lads,” said Gunson. “Why, Gordon, you don’t seem to relish the task.”

“Oh, yes,” I said, “only I feel a little dull at leaving the Fort.”

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