Part 104 (2/2)

”Now, altogether, fire!”

I had raised my piece at his warning, and drew the trigger; but though there was a sharp report on either side of me, my piece did not speak, and suddenly recollecting that I had forgotten to c.o.c.k it, I lowered it again.

”Who's that behind? Who fired there?” cried the hoa.r.s.e voice of the leader from the darkness ahead.

It was just as I was ready, and raising my piece, I fired, the b.u.t.t seeming to give my shoulder a heavy blow; while directly after came three flashes from the block-house, as many roars, and, like their echoes, Mr Raydon and Grey fired again, after a rapid reloading.

This was too much for the attacking party. They were so thoroughly taken between two fires, that the next thing we heard was the hurried rush of feet, and I saw very faintly what appeared to be a shadow hurry by me, while a couple more shots from Mr Raydon and Grey completed the enemy's rout.

”Cease firing, there!” roared Mr Raydon.

A loud hail came back from the block-house, and a few minutes later we were being admitted through the well-barred gate, whose fastenings dropped with a loud clang. Then I walked up to the quarters with Mr Raydon, where the next thing I heard was Mr John's voice.

”Found him?”

”Yes; all right, and the enemy beaten,” said Mr Raydon, cheerily. ”Go and tell them inside.”

”No need,” said Mr John; ”they have heard. Where are you, Mayne? Ah, that's better. Why, my dear lad, you have scared us terribly.”

”I lost my way,” I said, hastily.

”But what was the meaning of this firing?”

”The enemy coming in force,” said Mr Raydon. ”We have beaten them off though without bloodshed, and Mayne Gordon here has had another lesson in the dangers of opening up gold-claims to the sc.u.m of the earth.”

”That you, Mayne Gordon?” said a familiar voice soon after, as I approached our quarters.

”Yes,” I said. ”Not hurt, are you, Esau?”

”Not a bit; nor you neither?”

”Yes,” I said, bitterly; ”wounded again.”

”Eh? whereabouts? Here, come on. Mother's got lots of rag.”

”No, no,” I said, laughing sadly. ”Not that sort of wound. It was with words.”

”Go on with you. Frightening a chap like that,” cried Esau. ”I thought it was real.”

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!” e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed 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.”

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