The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1890-06-25

miles above, and there lost it. Haven't
seen him here, of courses"
'I only wish we had. There's re-
ward of $500 on his head, / hear"
at has been increased to twice that.
Show me his body and I'll make rich
man of you"
The patrol turned their horses loose
and had supper with us, furnishing
part from their own rations. Then there
was general talk and storytelling until
about 10 o'clock, and then all but one
man turned in for sleep. l had been in
troduced all around, but had taken very
little part or interest in the conversation,
being sure, from the first words spoken
by the Captain, that l had met Ballarat
Sam and aided him to make fresh start.
| thought at first of telling the whole
story to the patrol, but they were serious,
sober looking chaps, and had fear that
they would give me an awful raking
down, even if they did not lug me off
and seek to have me punished as aiding
and abetting. / remembered, too, that i
had solemnly promised Sam not to betray
him, and so l decided to keep still
tongue and let the case work out as it
would.
The patrol left us at daylight, but their
work for the next three days was thrown
away. They could get no trace of Sam.
We continued on up the country and
finally arrived at the ranch, and for the
next six months was hard at work as a
sheep herder, and neither saw nor heard
much of the outside world. Then one
day was called in off my range, which was
about five miles from Davidson's house.
Each of his herders had from 500 to 1900
sheep under his care on range by him
self, and each lived alone with his dog in
hut. Once a week the 'relief, as we
called him, made the rounds and left
provisions and heard our reports. Sew
eral of the natives had visited me-harm-
less fellows, who wanted matches or to-
bacco, but no white man excepting inc
relief had come near me for three months
before l got the call to report at head
quarters. | went in to find couple of
visitors there-two gentlemen who had
lately arrived from England. One Of
them, a Mr.. Cullen, was from my own
town of Shrewsbury, and the other, a
Mr.. Williams was from Manchester. They
had come out to Australia to take up a
range and go into sheep as an investment,
neither of them intending to remain, but
to do the business through an agent.
They had purchased 1000 sheep of Mr..
Davidson as a starter, and had taken
range above us on the Darling River. My
flock was to go, as also that of the
herder to the south of me, and we had
been called in to receive instructions.
Both of us herders were to enter into the
employ of the new arrivals, who had already
secured their land and built the house
and stables for the overseer. This man
had come up from Adelaide with them,
and was Scotchman named Mcfarland.
The other, who was an Irish lad of
twenty, was O'Hara.
When we made ready to start, the two
gentlemen were mounted on horses. The
overseer drove the bullock wagon, as
sisted by black, and O'EIara and my
self were on foot. Some of our neigh
bors had been troubled with bushrarg-
ers, but we had seen nothing of them,
and as the police patrol in the district
had lately been increased we felt no fear
that the rangers would meddle with us on
our journey. The weather was now
pretty cold, but as the country was bad
we had to let the sheep pick their way
aud go slow. In the first three days we
made only about twenty-seven miles, but
this was thought 20 be good progress un-
der the circumstances. On the third
night, when at least ten miles from any
settlers, and more than that from anyregu-
lar highway,we found a natural valley in
which the sheep could be herded, and
our own camp was made in a grove of
ironwood, near waterhole. We had
finished supper and were grouped about
the fire, when one of the dogs barked and
we looked up to find ourselves covered
by five rifles. There were five strange,
hard looking men forming a half-circle
about US, having crept into the grove so
softly that the dogs had not heard them
until the last moment.
"Brail up or under you go!" shouted
voice, and every one of US threw up his
hands.
"Now, then, the first one you who
makes shy move will get bullet /!
Close in, boysw
The five advanced to our feet, each
keeping his gun leveled, and when l
could see the man who had spoken l at
once identified him as Ballarat Sam, the
man whom l had befriended months be-
fore. He recognized me almost as quick
ly, and, taking a step forward, said:
"Well, boy, you did me q good turn
that day, and I'll not forget it. Move
over to the left. Now, then, gents who
are you"
The gentlemen gave him their names
and told him their business. They were
pretty badly frightened, as I could see,
while the overseer trembled like man
in chill. As he was a big, strong fell
low, and had laughed at the idea of
bushrangers meddling with us, could
not understand his fear until Sam spoke
again.
"Better and better" he said, as a
fierce look came into his eyes. Boys,
here's that overseer who set the patrol on
our track down below, and who wasn't
satisfied with that but must turn out to
help them. l think we have made II
good haul of it,"
All of our arms were in the wagon, and
1 -e-sa,v