Part 33 (1/2)

'I'll coo-ee,' said Silas, and he did, and the familiar sound carried far, to Doonan's ears. The constable looked round, and as he did so reined in his horse. He knew there must be something 'up' or they would not have ridden after him at that pace.

He rode towards them.

'You two appear to be having a race,' he said.

They looked at each other.

'Tell him, Willie,' said Silas.

The lad was not long in explaining.

'I'll ride back with you,' said Doonan. 'They can have done no harm yet.'

'Why are you around here?' said Silas.

'I want Seth Sharp,' said the constable.

'What for?'

'There's been murder done.'

'Who is it?'

'Ned Glenn.'

Willie and Silas looked at him in horror. They could not believe it. Ned Glenn, the old coach-driver they had known for so many years!

'Dead--not Ned, surely!'

'It's right, lads; and he just had time to say it was Seth Sharp shot him and that Dalton's lot were in it. Let me get hold of any of them, that's all,' and the constable raised his clenched fist and looked fierce.

The tears came into Willie's eyes. Ned Glenn was a real old friend, and he could not bear to think of it.

'How did it happen?' said Silas.

'The coach was stuck up about three miles outside Swamp Creek. All I know, and the others know, is that Ned was found lying on the ground dying. Two horses were killed, and there were no pa.s.sengers. What the motive for the business was I don't know and cannot imagine. There was no gold in the coach, and it is most likely Seth Sharp did it out of revenge. You may remember, Silas, it was Ned Glenn who put him away?'

'So it was, so it was,' said Dixon.

'We must make haste,' was Willie's comment. 'Suppose Sharp was one of the men sent over to our place?'

'He'll not venture there. He has put his neck in a halter this time,'

said Doonan; 'and Barker's Creek will have to be wiped out.'

CHAPTER XXI

A CLEVER ESCAPE