Page:Australian Emigrant 1854.djvu/184

160 The first who reached the door was Dodge, who grasping a piece of wood which had formed part of the shield, used it in the manner of a battering-ram, and so effectually that he found himself in the midst of the bushrangers in the burning hut before his friends could join him, laying about him with all his might, and roaring at the top of his voice, "You are all my prisoners." Two of his antagonists fell prostrate at his feet. A pistol was fired at him, but the ball striking the powder flask which he carried inside the breast of his flannel shirt, glanced off without injury. All this was only the work of a few moments, and when Hugh and Slinger entered they found him on his knees pummelling with his fists the poor wretch who had made the unsuccessful shot at him. The indignant bush-man appeared to have quite forgotten the presence of the other men, who were paralyzed at the loss of their leader, as he roared between his blows, "So you wont surrender, eh! and after I've taken you. I hope this will be a lesson to you."

The rest is soon told. The half stifled, but only partly subdued men, were dragged out of the building which they had defended with a bravery equalled only by the badness of their cause, and when they had been properly secured, every attention was paid to the wounded. Mr. Robberson was borne faint and speechless into the store house, and he was shortly followed by Bayley, who our readers will have recognised in the leader of the bushrangers, and whose hurts seemed very desperate.

Amongst those who had been engaged in the fray was a certain bush practitioner known as Doctor Bathey, whose acquirements were so extensive, or his vanity so egregious, that he was at all times prepared to attend cases arising amongst the settlers, their horses, cattle, or dogs; but his favorite practice was upon the human subject.

"Two very bad cases indeed," this personage remarked,