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, about the men's hut. Haven't you heard? There's not a man up there that has any idea what's happened. We gave them a supper, you know, and they were at it when this thing occurred. Mr. Fullarton had orders given which have resulted in their not getting wind of it yet."

"Orders!" said Irralie, with her black eyebrows arched. "Yes, that was cool. And what was the object?"

"To avoid any display of sympathy with Stingaree. There's something in it, too. We have some rough customers up at the hut just now; and it's not at all an uncommon thing to find an ordinary pound-a-week hand ready on principle to back a bushranger for all he's worth. At least, it wasn't in the Kelly country; and I hear Stingaree is just as much of a hero in their eyes as ever Ned Kelly was."

"Has anybody gone for the police?" "No; we said we'd leave it till morning, since he's absolutely safe where he is. The fact is, however, that we don't want people