Page:Australian Emigrant 1854.djvu/105

 "What did you take us for?" inquired Slinger of him— "bushrangers, eh!"

"Worse than that."

"No."

"Yes."

"Blacks?"

"Worse!—bailiffs. But you aint," said their new acquaintance, quite at his ease;" I know that breed too well. Now I'll be bound to be shot," said he, turning abruptly on Hugh, "if you ever fingered a writ."

"Well, I never did," said Hugh.

"I have,—hundreds," replied the stranger.

"You don't mean to say," interrupted Slinger, "that such creatures as bailiffs are ever to be found in this part of the world—does the law actually spread nets into this, the very fag end of creation?"

"Does it!—I think it does now and then; but it never makes much of a haul," replied the stranger, with a chuckle.—

"I've known as many as two men a month wanting to meet with a friend of mine who lives about here—he never was to be met with, which was unfortunate, for they used to come all the way from the supreme court in Melbourne, and always on particular business too: at length old Dodge, for he is the friend I am speaking of, gave 'em so many specimens of his inventive genius, that for many months they have ceased troubling him."

The sportsmen now informed their new acquaintance that they were anxious to reach this Dodge's station before night, in order to procure flour, for their stock was well nigh exhausted.

"Then you are not after old Dodge himself, eh?—only his flour?"

"We should be most happy to make his acquaintance. I presume, from your description, he must be a character," said Hugh.