Part 29 (1/2)

They were near the top when Starlight sings out, 'Stand! Bail up!' and the three of us, all masked, showed ourselves You never saw a er on the box-seat, a stout, jolly coars, and yarning and nipping with him at every house they passed Bill Webster, the driver, pulls up all standing when he sees as in Starlight's hand, and holds the reins so loose for a ht they'd drop out of his hands I went up to the coach There was no one inside--only an old wo one They seeht

The best of the joke was that the passengers started running up full split to warainst the coach before they found out as up One of the 'Billy, old man,' he says, 'I'll report you to the Coht ofstill and silent, with our revolvers pointing his way By George! I could hardly help laughing His jaw dropped, and he couldn't get a word out His throat seeht, quite cool and cheerful-like, 'you understand her Majesty's ar expression, and there's no use resisting I must ask you to stand in a row there by the fence, and hand out all the loose cash, watches, or rings you may have about you Don't ety, nervous man who couldn't keep quiet) 'Now, Nus; Number Two, close up here'

Here Jiins at the first man, very stern--

'Hand out your cash; keep back nothing, if you value your life'

You never saw a man in such a funk He was a storekeeper, we found afterwards He nearly dropped on his knees Then he handed Starlight a bundle of notes, a gold watch, and took a handsoht put into his pocket He handed the notes and watch to Ji ready for theround; he had fainted

He was left to pick himself up No 2 was told to shell out They all had sons, soood in a country place The squatters draw too reat chance of their being stopped There were eighteen ers, besides the chap on the box-seat We h thes through the fence and put theht went to the coach where the tomen were He took off his hat and bowed

'Unpleasant necessity, ether, I assure you I hter, ed woman; 'I never set eyes on her before'

'Indeed, ain; 'excuse my curiosity, I am desolated, I assure you, but may I trouble you for your watches and purses?'

'As you're a gentleman,' said the fat lady, 'I fully expected you'd have let us off I'm Mrs Buxter, of Bobbrawobbra'

'Indeed! I have no words to express ht; 'but, my dear lady, hard necessity coirl

She handed over a small old Geneva watch and a little purse The pluold watch with a chain and purse toto speak stern

'It's ave , where I a to a situation'

Her lips shook and treht carefully handed Mrs Buxter's watch and purse to Jim I saw hi in, if I didn't ain

'I'm afraid I'm rather impertinent,' says he, 'but your face, Miss--ah--Elmsdale, thanks--reminds me of some one in another world--the one I once lived in Allow me to enjoy the souvenir and to return your effects No thanks; that smile is ample payment Ladies, I wish you a pleasant journey'

He bowed Mrs Buxter did not s lady, who, poor thing, seemed pretty full up and inclined to cry at the surprise

'Now then, all aboard,' sings out Starlight; 'get in, gentleht Better luck next time

Williae, and you will find the s under that tree They shall not be injured athered up his reins and shouted to his team, that was pretty fresh after their spell, and went off like a shot We sat down by the roadside with one of the coach lah all the letters, putting the all notes, cheques, and bills into Jim's leather sack We did not wastethan we could help, you bet; but ere pretty well paid for it--better than the post-office clerks are, by all accounts We left all the ht had told the driver; and then,our horses, rode as hard as we could lick to where dad and Warrigal were camped

When we overhauled the leather sack into which Jim had stowed all the notes and cheques we found that we'd done better than we expected, though we could see froht's work We had 370 Pounds in notes and gold, a biggish bag of silver, a lot of cheques--soold watches and a lot of silver ones, soood Mrs Buxter's watch was a real beauty, with a stunning chain Starlight said he should like to keep it himself, and then I knew Bella Barnes was in for a present

Starlight was one of those chaps that never forgot any kind of pro it would be done as sure as death--if he was alive to do it; and reatest lot of trouble nowhich another ot safe to the Murdering Hut, and a precious hard ride it was, and tried our horses well, for, mind you, they'd been under saddle best part of twenty-four hours e got back, and had done a good deal over a hundred , then we all separated for fear a black trackerhat bloodhounds they are soether as usual; they were pretty safe to be out of harm's way Father made off on a line of his own We took the two horses we'd ridden out of the Hollow, and made for that place the shortest e knew We could afford to hit out--horse-flesh was cheap to us--but not to go slow Ti to it

'I'll go anywhere you like,' says Jio What do you think of it, dad?'