| Show I 1 had just finished reading for the twentieth time my last letter from home when a sudden growl from bouncer conr station dog brought me back from the dream into which I 1 was beginning to fall and made me drop my letter look hastily round and then walk to the door of the hut but all was as it should be nothing unusual was to be seen in any direction the sun was sinking blood red behind a range of dim blue hills and stars were beginning lo 10 show on the paling sky long fuidge station was a very solitary spot indeed even at the best of times but just at present when long peter ind I 1 were its only occupants the loneliness of our position was horrible I 1 dont think peter felt it as I 1 did he was a tall gaunt scotchman who had been a shepherd in his native land I 1 had come out from a full nest a happy home and the awful monotony of the australian wilds seemed sometimes more thana could bear for a month at least long peter and I 1 had shared the work and the danger between us he as the most experienced going out with the sheep while I 1 kept the hut cooked the food and attended to the various duties on this particular day I 1 had been feeling an amount of listless weariness which I 1 could scarcely understand mv self but the fact was that nervous depression so overpowered me that when bonnier roso up from my feet with a growl I 1 started as though some terrible danger was close at hand I 1 walked to the door of the hut as I 1 have said and looked keenly all around but could not see anything unusual still bouncer knew what he was about he never growled without having something to show for it I 1 therefore walked back to my faithful companion and taking his muzzle in both my hands what is it bouncer my boy I 1 said Is it friend or foe almost any one would be welcome in this dreary solitude bouncer had risen to his feet and was listening intently again he growled no not growled but whined impatiently and trotted to the door then I 1 knew that whoever might bo approaching was no enemy but a friend yet who could it be long peter and his sheep were not due yet for nearly an hour and I 1 need scarcely say that afternoon visitors were scarce ong ridge I 1 followed bouncer to the door of the hut and shading my eyes with my hand looked earnestly toward the west which was the direction in which the dog was looking presently the quick though muffled fall of a horses feet became distinctly audible I 1 knew the canter well it waa that of blackfoot tho splendid riding horse belonging to mr ashby the owner 0 the station yes there he was can bering over tho waving grass and making straight for long didgo good afternoon jem he said in his usual pleasant manner give me a light for my pipe and a morsel to eat for I 1 must be off again directly any news going long peter is not home yet I 1 supposed suppo sec even as mr ashby spoke we could recognize the bleating of the flock and could dimly see the white fleeces of the sheep as they emerged from the somber shadows of the trees aye there they come said the master in a relieved tone of voice and now after a few words with peter I 1 can mount and be on I 1 ought to be at home before it is quite dark jem ho added impressively 1 I came today to warn you and peter that there are blacks in the neighborhood bo they have been lurking round the home station for several days and they mean mischief too for their women are not with them I 1 would have sent sam and jerry here to help you and peter but it is impossible now to do EO my wife and children must ba protected and we need all the hands we have I 1 hope your guns are in good order do you want powder or lead we have enough of both I 1 replied but we have only half a dozen bullets them tomorrow this I 1 said with a flush of shamo rising to my climek for had not peter asked me that very morning to run the bullets yet I 1 had spent the long summer day listlessly reading letters because forsooth I 1 saw no immediate need of the bullets and now thanks to my carelessness we were practically unarmed mr ashby did not seem to observe my embarrassment for he was standing at tho door impatiently waiting for peter he had however heard my words foi he replied immediately dont put off anything till tomorrow jem fetch the mold and get the bullets ran at once then go to the water hole and fetch up as many bucketfuls as you can stowaway in the hut even as he spoke peter and his flocks arrived the animals feeding quietly al the way along good evening sir said long peter quietly to his master ive bad some trouble with the beasts today three are missing I 1 found the body of one of them sir it had been speared mr ashby looked full at the man consternation ster nation clearly written in his face are they BO near us as that peter ha aard 1 I must get home tonight only came to warn you and jem 1 I dont think that you can possibly SO bir responded the shepherd coolly tiling a of tea thoy are too close to caf we looked at the man inquiringly his face was pale but resolute looking and hia voice sank to a whisper as ho added after seeing tho spear wound in the sheep I 1 looked about me pretty sharp you may bo sure but I 1 saw nothing till I 1 was clear of the timber then I 1 sighted one of the blacks wriggling through the grass like a snake I 1 would have fired at him but I 1 saw another then another and I 1 thought it best to return and warn jem they did not guess that 1 had seen them or I 1 would have had a spear through my back As it ia I 1 expect they will attack us tonight scarcely were the words out of his mouth when a spear whizzed through the open doorway and quivered in the wooden slabs behind had my two companions been as inexperienced as I 1 was all would now have been confusion and dismay but both the master and iong peter were old coloa ista and bad had more than one brush the na they were both as cool as possible bar the door jem caid the shep ber berdans dand hand aim ha flaa ana bullets here bouncer keep to heel good dog with a feeling more akin to agony than I 1 had ever iown before I 1 handed the powder flask to my fellow servant at the same time telling him that I 1 had forgotten all about the bullets arid that only half a dozen remained on hand he enst gave me one glance partly indignation dig nation partly pity then we are all up a tree he said however let us do our best two bullets to each of us jem and well stand by each other alie good old fellow I 1 saw by his face that he felt for me in the agony of remorse I 1 waa enduring and did not mean to make it worse for me by his reproaches pro aches yet long peter had a wife at home among the heather mountains and a daughter a curl of whose golden hair I 1 had often seen in his pocketbook all long peter could not afford to die yet meanwhile mr ashby was coolly re through the loopholes he cadlet down the window and was preparing for action as calmly aa the shepherd we had handed him his two bullets but he pushed them back lie had a few of his own take them take them he whispered yon will need them all and truly we did by this time the moon had risen its light gradually growing on the landscape till wo could see the outlines of the trees and could see the long grass waving white in the ghostly shadows but all was silent nothing but the hoarse cry of some night bird broke on the stillness around oil how long was it to last this dreadful silence and inaction for myself I 1 must confess that every pulse in my body was beating like a sledge hammer every nerve quivering till I 1 could scarcely hold my rifle but the master and peter they knelt aa quietly as though no danger was to be apprehended their barrels pointed through the loopholes while they closely watched for any movement outside but there was none the sheep were camping quietly round the hurdles the night wind swept with a mournful sound through alie dark trees causing the spectral tracery of the branches to dance in the moonlight on the grass but eliat was all still tho terrible silence but suddenly there was a change three or four of tho sheep rose looked all round stamped with their feet and huddled close together something had alarmed them some sight or sound as yet unrevealed to our blunter faculties bouncer rose to his feet too whining uneasily down dog down whispered peter breaking the silence for the first time and the docile animal once more sank to the ground the nest moment a loud report rang out into a thousand echoes peter had fired the first shot a shrill death scream following it while we could dimly see the dark figure of a man who leaped from his ambush and fell like a clod to the ground now master cried long peter while rapidly reloading his gun fire away but aim to the right sir aim to the right I 1 can see the cursed creatures gathering there hi numbers mr ashby obeyed the directions given liim by his servant for in truth long peter had a fuller view than any of us of what was going on outside there you are all righta he added exultantly as both mr ashbes ashbys gun and mine were fired at the same moment you have each fused your man and the others are drawing off for a little but mark my words sir he added though they are mortally afraid of our guns find out soon enough that our ammunition is running short then they will fire the hut and we are done for sir I 1 mean to get bouncer to help vs the dog asked mr ashby inquiringly 1 I dont understand what can he do they will certainly kill him if you let him out I 1 so they will if they can catch him replied the shepherd composedly but wo must take our chance of that sir if you will write a uno to the head station telling them what a fix we are in I 1 reckon that my dog will carry he let ter there in less time than a thorough braxl horae could do it I 1 have taught him sir to fetch and carry little thinking that at some time our lives might depend upon him doing it gleaso write the letter sir but will he go to the head station it replied the master who was busily writing how can you get him to understand leave that to me sir replied long peter the dog ia as wise as any christian and a deal wiser than many be tides I 1 have a waistcoat here belonging to jerry if I 1 show him that it is all right he loves jerry and knows that he is at the head station the only difficulty is will tho black fellows wait long enoich before they fire the lint so as to allow of help coming it is doubtful but we can only try wo are in gods hands sir true replied mr ashby as he handed the letter to his faithful servant the master said no more but I 1 could see that his heart was buil all his apar young wife his blue eyed little ones would he ever see them more there was certainly DO time to lose I 1 could see the dark figures of the natives dodging round the hut evidently think in hat bince we bad ceased firing our ammunition must be totally ey but it was not so we had each of us one bullet left but only one which we were keeping for emergencies or for final scrimmage scrim mase meanwhile long peter had pulled away a half rotten blab from behind his amik thus making a hole sufficiently large for bouncer to creep through he then fastened the letter securely to his collar the abble animal giving now and then 1 suppressed whine and trembling from head to foot with anxiety ho had waist coat and quite understood expected of him I 1 could not bear to look at long peter at this moment his features were working with emotion and I 1 coald have sworn that there were tears in hiis eyes bet he said nothing everything being now ready he led bouncer to the hole held his muzzle for a moment pressed hard between his hands while he gazed into the creatures expressive eyes now go good dog he whispered and squeezing himself through the hole bouncer sped away on noiseless feet we listened intently for a few minutes oh how we listene our faces blanched and our limbs trembling had bouncer escaped away on his weighty errand without being discovered alas nol a sudden wild jabbering rose on tha night air a rush of many feet and tha next instant we detected a yelp of pain they have surely speared himl whispered mr ashby but long peter turned on him almost in anger no no sir he said he is just scratched hell do it yet I 1 know he will he must be quick then replied the master for those cursed savages have struck a light somehow they mean to bum us out look I 1 oar eyes were now intently watching the movements of the black fellows from the loopholes and we had not watched long till we saw a flaming brand whizzing through the air till it fell upon the stringy bark roof above our heads another and another immediately followed still it did not seem to us that any of them had aken effect carry up a bucket of water through the trap door and pour it over the roof whispered the master to me but take care of yourself dont let them see you I 1 did as I 1 was directed and thoroughly drenched the roof but while thus engaged I 1 heard a shout from below it was mr ashbes ashbys voice come down jem come quickly he cried and I 1 rattled down the ladder with a sinking heart long peter lay on the floor of the hut white and gasping a spear had entered one of the loopholes and pinned him through the thigh in response to my groan of utter dismay the good fellow struggled into a sitting posture never mind me jem he said fight it out to the last take my gun there is one charge in it yet but first drag me into that comer I 1 obeyed in silence handed him a of cold tea and then took my place by mr ashbes ashbys side look out he whispered 1 I mean to ringleader that man with the blazing log in his hand L fear he has already fired the roof I 1 hear it crackling but it scarcely matters now the end is not far off we are doomed As he spoke these despairing words mr ashby fired his bullet bringing down the man aimed at who with a wild screech fell to the ground there was a pause of consternation after this and a hurried talk among the outside then with wild yells the whole force of the besiegers rushed on our little garrison A moments surging round thedoor then it gave way with a crash mr ashbes ashbys gun swinging on the crowd of savages with terrific force felling two of them like oxen I 1 can scarcely describe what followed there was a wild struggle with our guns and our fists then two forced me to the ground one was shortening his grasp of his spear to drive it through my body when he suddenly fell oa the top of me dead felled by the butt end of mr ash 1 more dimly I 1 seemed to hear a loud hurrah from oufa side followed by the cracking of rifles then every sound died away into silence well I 1 declare you leave had a bit of a scrimmage and heres poor jem about done aorl it was the voice of jerry who was dragging away the dead body of my assailant from off my chest no I 1 am not dead I 1 said feebly enough not even wounded though half choked with blood that is not my own where is the master and oh go and look after long he is terribly hurt I 1 know the other chapa are attending to him said jerry and as for the master he says he is all right he wont own to a single scratch he is a game one he is well have you all carried to the head station afore breakfast time see if we dont but you should have seen thai dog of peters why his feet waa ah skinned and raw and he had an ugly spear wound inthe in the shoulder 90 chath letter was covered with blood we could scarcely make it out boutwe guessed quick enough that there waa something amiss and came away at once we were just in time jem my boy I 1 tell ye as bouncer would do it cried long peter in rather a weak and quavering voice poor old chap he added tenderly as the faithful brute hoped across the hut abc the sound of the shepherds voice and crept close to his side you and me will never part bouncer never as long as we live and till seven yeara later when in extreme old age bouncer died and was buried in a grave dug for him by long peter himself ah he said when the ceremony was over why do them |
