'Easier said than done,' was his answer.

'But you must find him, Silas. There is danger!' And she related what the black gin from Barker's Creek had said.

'Whew,' whistled Silas, 'Dalton's lot, eh! They have left us alone for a good number of years, and now the scoundrels are breaking out again.

I'll go, and I'll find Doonan. I owe Dalton one, as many another good man round here does.'

'Lose no time about it, find him as quickly as possible,' said Sal; 'and, mind, not a word to Willie about it.'

'He'd better know. That lad's useful. He's as good as a man, bless yer heart.'

'Tell him, then. Do as you think best,' said Sal.

Willie had been riding Neptune in an early morning spin, and when he returned Silas said to him,--

'I know you'll not be frightened, Willie, at what I'm going to tell you.

One of the blacks from Barker's Creek's here, and she tells Sal there's to be ructions around Wanabeen.'

'When?' said Willie, quietly.

'While the boss is away, sure,' said Silas.

'What'll we do?'

'I'm going for Doonan. If he is here they'll get pepper,' said Silas.

'I'll go with you.'

Then, as the lad thought for a moment or two, he added,--

'If I go there will be no one with Sal, but we shall not be long away.'

Silas smiled.

'I thought he was as good as a man,' he muttered to himself. 'He's a chip off Jim Dennis, if ever there was one. Whoa up, you beggar! You just missed me.'

The latter part of these remarks were meant for Neptune, who had lashed out at Silas with both heels.

Willie laughed as he said,--

'He's beaten Abe Dalton once, and he'd do it again if he could only get one home like that.'

'When can you come?' asked Silas.

'I'll have a snack and be with you quick,' replied Willie.

Neptune having been installed in his box and properly looked after, Willie went inside to refresh himself.

'He's told you,' said Sal.

'Yes,' said Willie, consuming a square meal with considerable rapidity, 'he's told me.'

'And you'll go with him?'

'Rather.'

'And when you see Constable Doonan what will you say?' asked Sal.

'Leave that to me. I'll fetch him quick enough.'

'You will be able to find him?'

'I know where he is.'

'Where?'

'Just outside of Barker's Creek, on the watch.'

'What for?' asked Sal.

'Business, so he said,' answered Willie, 'whatever that means.'

The lad finished his meal and left the room.

They were quickly mounted, Silas and the boy, and rode off in the direction of Barker's Creek, for Willie had told him where he had seen Doonan.

'You "copt" him there this morning. You must have given Neptune a rare good spin,' said Silas.

'He wants it,' said Willie. 'Long and strong work he wants. That won him the cup. Do you know how I felt, Silas, when he was winning?'

'No, lad, but I'd like to.'

They were riding at a good pace, and the old hand thought, 'What a seat the boy has! He can beat me with all my knack of doing it.'

'I felt just like shooting through the sky on a comet,' said Willie.

'As fast as that?'

'Yes; and when we pa.s.sed the box I had no idea what had won or where I was. Neptune went over the ground at a tremendous rate.'

'But you were bad, ill, and you had no idea what you were doing. That's the yarn they tell me,' said Silas.

'I felt a bit queer, but I stuck on fast and sat still. That's the way to ride Neptune. If I'd moved on him I believe he would have lost. That knock on the head helped me, I _had_ to sit still.'

'There's someone over yonder,' said Silas. 'Your eyes are better than mine. Who is it?'

'It is Doonan. Come on,' shouted the lad.

They rode at their horses' best pace, for Constable Doonan was well ahead of them.