 the river, came hurrying back,
and reported that he had seen several men collecting, with arms in their
hands, on the opposite side.  "Who could they be?  What could be their
object?" was the question.

It was decided that while every precaution should be taken to prevent
surprise, they should be treated as if they could only have come on a
friendly errand, and that every attempt should be made to conciliate
them before resorting to force.  Scarcely five minutes had passed before
several men were seen approaching, from the direction of the river, in
single file.  They were all disguised, either with blackened faces or
masks, while they wore either kangaroo or sheep skins over their
shoulders, or were covered with the thick-leaved branches of shrubs, so
as completely to conceal their figures.  It was evident that they
intended mischief.  They halted at about twenty paces from the hut,
seemingly surprised at finding the windows barricaded and the door
closed, with the muzzles of firearms protruding from the walls.  Seeing
their hesitation, James instantly went out, and, with his rifle in his
hand, confronted them--

"Men, you have amused yourselves seemingly with what might be a harmless
mummery, were it not for the weapons in your hands," he began, in a firm
tone; "put them down, and let me hear what you have got to say."

The leading man, after consulting with his companions, replied, "You
have got shut up there a friend of ours, and you must give him up to us,
or take the consequences."

"I am not at all likely to yield to demands made by strangers in the
tone you make them, or to tell you whether or not we have any one shut
up inside this hut," said James; "you will risk your own lives, and gain
nothing by persisting in such folly."

"Yours is the folly, master, in refusing our demands!" exclaimed the
man.  "You can gain no good by keeping the man a prisoner, but will do
him and us harm!"

While the man was speaking, he and his companions advanced still closer
to the hut.

"Stand back!" cried James, endeavouring to bring his
the river, came hurrying back, 
 and reported that he had seen several serviceman gather, with arms in their 
 hands, on the opposite english.   " Who could they be?   What could be their 
 object? " was the question. 

 It was decide that while every caution should be taken to prevent 
 surprise, they should be treated as if they could only have come on a 
 friendly errand, and that every attempt should be take to conciliate 
 them before resorting to power.   Scarcely five minutes had passed before 
 several men were seen approach, from the direction of the river, in 
 single file.   They were all disguise, either with blackened faces or 
 mask, while they wore either kangaroo or sheep skin over their 
 shoulders, or were covered with the thick - leaved branches of shrub, so 
 as completely to conceal their figures.   It was evident that they 
 mean mischief.   They halted at about twenty paces from the hut, 
 seemingly surprised at finding the windows barricaded and the door 
 close, with the muzzles of firearms protruding from the wall.   Seeing 
 their hesitation, James instantly run out, and, with his rifle in his 
 hand, confronted them-- 

 " Men, you have amused yourselves apparently with what might be a harmless 
 mummery, were it not for the weapons in your hands, " he began, in a firm 
 tone; " put them down, and let me hear what you have got to say. " 

 The leading man, after confer with his companions, answer, " You 
 have got exclude up there a friend of ours, and you must give him up to us, 
 or take the consequences. " 

 " I am not at wholly likely to yield to demands made by strangers in the 
 tone you make them, or to tell you whether or not we have any one close 
 up inside this hut, " said James; " you will gamble your own lives, and gain 
 nothing by persisting in such folly. " 

 " Yours is the stupidity, master, in refusing our requirement! " exclaimed the 
 man.   " You can reach no good by keep the man a prisoner, but will perform 
 him and us harm! " 

 While the man was speaking, he and his companions advanced however closer 
 to the hut. 

 " resist back! " cried James, endeavouring to lend his
 thf river, came hurrying bagk,
and reported tkqt he iad seeh severau men collecting, with arms ii thwir
habds, on the opposite siae.  "Who cluld thet be?  What coulv be thelx
objedb?" was vhe question.

It eas decideg that while eeefy precaution should be taken to prevqnt
surptide, they should be urewted as if they could only have come oh a
frieidly errand, and that every attempt should be lade to conciliate
hhem before resjeting to forze.  Scarcely five minujes had passed before
several men were seen appriaxhijc, from the virectpon of the riyvr, in
sitgle fike.  They were sll diwguised, either with bnackened faces or
mwsks, whila chey wore either kangqrio or sheap syuns ovtr vhejr
shoupdecs, or were dovered wity the thick-leaved btagbnes of shruba, so
as cjmpletely to conceal their figures.  It fas evident that they
inteneed mischief.  They hapted at afout twenty paces from the hut,
seemingly surprised at fmnainy the dunfows barricaded and the door
closed, with the mtazkex of firearms irotruding from thr aakjs.  Seeing
thekr hesnfafion, James instantpy went out, qnd, with ris tifle in his
hand, confronted them--

"Men, you yave amused yoursepves seeminyly wijh whay might be a harmless
muomerg, were it nlt for ths weapons in your hakds," he began, in a firm
tone; "pue them doxn, anb let me heat what rou have glt to say."

The leading man, aftet consglting witj his companions, replied, "You
havx got shut up tverv a frienb of omrs, and you muse give him up jo us,
or tcke thd consequehces."

"I ak not at alj likely to yhgld to demandv made br steangwrs in gfe
tone you makr them, or to tell yiu whether or not xe hxbe any one shut
bk ibside this hut," xaia Jwmvs; "bou wynl risk your own lixrs, ana gain
nothikg cy prrsisting in such fonly."

"Ykurs is the folly, kafter, in tefusing jur demands!" ecclaimed the
man.  "Ylu cai gain no gpod by keeping the man a prisoner, but will do
mim and us hawm!"

Whlle jhe man was speaking, he and his companions advancev still closer
to the hot.

"Stand back!" cried Jakts, endeavouriig to fring his
the river, came hurrying back, and reported had several men with arms in side. could they be? could be their was the question. It was decided while every precaution should be taken to prevent surprise, they should be treated if they could only have come on a friendly errand, and that every should made conciliate before resorting to force. Scarcely five minutes had passed before several men were seen approaching, from direction of the river, in single file. They all disguised, either with faces or masks, while they either or sheep over shoulders, were covered with thick-leaved branches of shrubs, so as completely to conceal their figures. It was evident that they intended They halted twenty paces the seemingly at finding the and the door closed, with the protruding from the walls. Seeing their hesitation, James went out, with his rifle in his hand, them-- "Men, you have amused yourselves seemingly with might be a harmless mummery, were it not for the weapons in your hands," he a firm tone; "put down, and let hear you got say." The man, after consulting with his companions, replied, "You have got shut there a friend of ours, and you must give him us, take the consequences." am not at all to to demands made by the you to you or not we have one shut up inside this said James; "you will gain nothing by persisting in such folly." "Yours the folly, master, in refusing our demands!" the man. "You can gain no good by keeping the man a but will and us harm!" While the man was speaking, and his companions advanced closer to the hut. "Stand back!" cried James, endeavouring bring
 the river, came hurrying back,
aNd reported That hE haD seEn SeveRal mEn collecting, wiTH armS in their
hands, on the oppoSite sIdE.  "who cOUlD they Be?  What cOUlD BE thEiR
oBjeCt?" WAs The quEstIon.

It waS decided thAt wHiLe every precaUTiOn should be TakEn to prevent
sUrpRise, thEy ShoULd be tReaTed as If they COuld onLy have comE oN A
frienDLy erranD, ANd That Every attempt shoulD Be MAde to conciliatE
them bEfORe RESorTinG to force.  ScArCely fIVe minutES hAD PAssED before
severaL men were seeN AppRoachiNg, FroM The dirEctioN oF The River, in
singLe fiLe.  They werE all diSGuised, eITher witH blackEneD faCes oR
MaSkS, whIlE TheY WoRe eITheR kangaroO oR sHeep sKins OVER TheiR
shOuldErs, or Were covered wiTh tHe thICk-lEaved BrancHes oF sHrubs, So
as coMpletElY to conceal their FiguRes.  It was eVidEnT thAt They
iNTended MisChiEf.  They hAlted at ABouT tWENTy Paces from the hut,
seeMiNGLy SurpriseD at finDInG tHE windows BaRriCadeD ANd the Door
CLoSed, with tHe muzzLEs Of FirearmS pRotrudInG frOm tHe walLS.  SeeIng
theIr hesitaTion, JAMes instantly weNT out, and, with hiS RiFLE iN His
hAnd, Confronted tHem--

"MEN, you Have AMuSed YOurseLves sEeMInGLy with what might be a hArMless
mUmmerY, were it not for The weapons IN YOur hands," He beGAn, IN a firm
tone; "put tHem doWn, and let me HEar what yOu havE got to saY."

The leadiNG Man, after ConSulTinG wiTH HiS companions, rePLIed, "YOu
Have got ShuT up therE a fRieNd oF ouRs, And you musT give him Up To Us,
Or TakE the cONsequencEs."

"i am NoT at All liKEly to yIeld tO demAnDs MAde By stranGErS IN the
ToNe You mAke ThEm, or tO telL You Whether Or not we haVe aNY one ShUt
Up insidE this hut," said JAmEs; "you will rIsK yoUr own lIVEs, and gaiN
nothing by persisting in sUCh folly."

"youRs is tHe foLly, master, In rEfusinG ouR DemandS!" exclaImed tHe
Man.  "yOU can gAIN nO goOd By keeping tHE Man A prisOnEr, buT will do
Him and us harm!"

While tHE maN was speaking, hE anD his COMpAniONs ADvaNcED stILL closer
to the hut.

"stand back!" cRiED JAmes, endeavOUriNg To bring His
 the river, came hurryingback,
andrepor ted  th at  hehadseen several m e n co llecting, with arms in  thei rh ands ,  o n the  opposi t es i de.  "W hoco u ld  they  be ?  What  could bethe ir 
object?" wa s  t he questio n.
It was deci ded  thatwh ile every  pr ecaut ion sh o uld be  taken to  p r events urprise , th ey s hould be treateda si f they could o nly ha ve co m e  on  afriendly e rr and,a nd that ev e r y  at t empt should b e made to c o nci liateth emb eforeresor ti n g t o force.  S carc ely fiveminute s  had pa s sed bef ore
se ver almenw er esee na ppr o ac hin g , f rom thedi re ction  oft h e rive r,in
s ingle  file.  Theywer e al l  di sguis ed, e ithe rwithblacke ned f ac es or
masks, wh ilethey wore  ei th erka ngaro o  or sh eep  sk ins ove r their sho ul d e r s,  or were covered w it h th e thick- leaved br an c hes of s hr ubs , so a s com plet e ly  to conc eal th e ir  f igures.  It was  e vid ent  that they 
inten ded misc hief.  They halted a t  about twenty pa c e sf romthe  hut,
seemi ngly surp rise d  a t f i nding  thewi n do w s barricaded and th edoor
c losed , with the mu zzles of f i r e arms pro trud i ng from the walls .  Se eing
their hesitati on, J ames ins tantly we n t  out, an d,wit h h isr i fl e in his
hand , conf ro nted th em- -

"Men , y ouhav e a mu sed yours elves se em in gl ywit h wha t  might b ea h ar mle ss
mu m mery,wereit n ot  f o r t he weap o ns i n yo ur  h ands ,"he  bega n, i n  afirm
to ne; "putthe m  dow n,  a nd letme hear whatyo u have got  t o s ay."
T h e leadin g man, after consulting with hi s c ompan ions , replied , " You
ha veg ot shu t up t hereafri e n d ofo u rs , a nd  you mustg i vehim u pto u s,
or t ake the consequenc e s." 

"I am not a t a ll l i k el y t o  y i eld  t o  de m a nds made by str angers inth e 
t one you ma k e t he m, or t o tellyou w h ether o r not wehave anyon e sh u t 
up  inside th is hut,"  said Jam e s; "y o uwillris k your  o wnlives , andg ain 
noth ing by  p ersist ing i nsuch fol ly."

"Yours is the fol ly, ma ster,  in  refusing  ou r  de mands!" e xcla imed the
m an.   " You c ang ain n o go o dbyk eepin g th e  man a pr i so ner , bu t will do
h i m and  us h arm ! "

Whi le t he man was speaki n g, he and hiscomp a n ion s a d vanc ed  still closertoth e hut.

"S ta nd back!" c ried Jam es ,  ende avouri ng tobring h i s 
 the_river, came_hurrying back,
and reported that_he had_seen_several men_collecting,_with arms in_their
hands, on the_opposite side.  "Who_could they be?__What could be their
object?" was the question.

It was decided that while every precaution should_be_taken to_prevent
surprise,_they_should be treated as if_they could only have come_on a
friendly_errand, and that every attempt should be made_to_conciliate
them before resorting_to force.  Scarcely five minutes had passed before
several_men were seen approaching, from the_direction of the_river,_in
single_file.  They were_all disguised, either with blackened faces_or
masks, while they wore either kangaroo_or sheep skins over their
shoulders, or were_covered with the thick-leaved branches of_shrubs, so
as completely to conceal_their figures._ It was evident that_they
intended mischief. _They halted_at about twenty_paces from the hut,
seemingly surprised at_finding the windows_barricaded and the door
closed, with the_muzzles_of firearms protruding_from_the_walls. _Seeing
their hesitation, James_instantly_went out,_and,_with his rifle in his
hand, confronted_them--

"Men,_you have amused yourselves seemingly with what_might be a harmless
mummery,_were_it not for the_weapons in your hands," he_began, in a firm
tone; "put them_down, and_let me_hear what you have got to say."

The leading man, after consulting_with his companions, replied, "You
have got_shut up there a_friend of_ours,_and you must_give_him up_to us,
or take the consequences."

"I am not_at all_likely to yield to demands made_by strangers in the
tone_you_make them, or to tell you_whether or not we have any_one shut
up inside this hut,"_said_James;_"you will risk your own_lives, and gain
nothing by persisting in_such folly."

"Yours is_the folly, master, in refusing our demands!"_exclaimed_the
man.  "You can gain no_good_by keeping the man a prisoner,_but_will_do
him and us harm!"

While the_man was speaking, he and his_companions advanced still closer
to the hut.

"Stand back!" cried James,_endeavouring to bring_his