At this point Bruno raised his head, looked toward the door, and began to bark.

"I think my father must be close by," said Lucy. "Bruno is always the first to hear him."

CHAPTER XVII.

A WELCOME IN THE WILDS.

Before Lucy could reach the door, it was opened, and a stalwart man of middle age paused on the threshold, in evident surprise.

"Whom have you here, Lucy?" he asked in a tone of displeasure.

"Two boys, papa, who came here in distress, having lost their way."

"Did I not caution you against admitting strangers?" continued her father with a slight frown.

"Yes, but these are boys, not men."

Harry Vane thought it was time to start.

"I hope, sir," he said, "you won't blame your daughter for her kindness to us. We stood greatly in need of friendly help, having been robbed of everything by the bushrangers, from whom we managed by good luck to escape some hours since."

The shepherd regarded Harry keenly, and proceeded to cross-examine him.

"You say you were captured by the bushrangers?" he said.

"Yes, sir."

"When was this?"

"This morning, just after breakfast."

"Where did it happen?"

Harry told him.

"Where were you going?"

"To the mines at Bendigo."

"How large was your party?"

"There were only three of us--a countryman of ours and ourselves."

"Where is he?"

"The bushrangers robbed him and let him go."

"Why did they not release you and your friend?"

"Because, as a young member of the band told us, the captain meant to spare us to join the band."

"You are young to be travelling to the mines. What countrymen are you?"

"We are Americans."

"Humph! your story sounds well enough, but how do I know that you are not spies of the bushrangers?"

Harry Vane's eyes flashed indignantly.

"I hope you won't think so badly of us," he said.

The shepherd seemed somewhat impressed by his indignant denial, which certainly seemed genuine enough, but wanted information on one point.

"How did you manage to escape? That doesn't seem very probable, at any rate."

"We both took advantage of the excitement occasioned by the murder of Captain Stockton----" he began.

"What!" exclaimed the shepherd in profound astonishment, "Captain Stockton murdered! When? By whom?"

Of course Harry told the story, but that need not be repeated.

The shepherd listened in evident excitement.

"If this is true," he said, "nothing better could have happened for this part of Australia. This man--Stockton--is noted everywhere as the most desperate and cruel of the bushrangers. I can't begin to tell you how many atrocious crimes he has committed. He killed my brother in cold blood three years since,"--here the shepherd's face darkened--"because he defended the property of another, and tried to save it from being stolen. If he is dead I am deeply, profoundly grateful!"

"You need have no doubt on that point, sir," said Harry. "Jack and myself saw him shot down. There can be no doubt of his death."

"I believe you speak the truth. You don't look as if you were deceiving me. So you took the opportunity to give the bushrangers legbail, eh?"

"We didn't stay to bid them good-by," said Harry, smiling. "We ran till we were out of breath, but saw no one on our track. Probably it was some time before we were thought of, and our escape noticed. We have been walking ever since, and were ready to drop with hunger and fatigue when we espied the light of your cottage, and ventured to ask for help."

"You are welcome to all that we can do for you," said the shepherd, his tone changing. "I was suspicious at first, for the bushrangers are up to all sorts of tricks, but the news you have brought insures you a welcome. At last my poor brother is avenged, and the bloodthirsty villain who killed him has gone to his account. You don't know who is elected in his place?"

"No, sir, we came away at once."

"Of course, of course; I should have thought of that."

"I hope it isn't Fletcher," said Jack.

"Ha! what do you know of d.i.c.k Fletcher?"

"More than we want to. He it was who pa.s.sed himself off on us as a returned miner, and betrayed us into the hands of his comrades."

"I know of him, too. He would be as bad as the captain if he dared, but he is a coward. His turn will come after a while. But, Lucy,"--here he addressed his daughter,--"you are not treating your guests very well.

Where are your potatoes and other vegetables?"