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Rh see for yourself I’m as desperate as any of you? Haven’t you told me the mounted police are between me and the sea? Then what do you suppose I want with my life, except to sell it as dear as possible, and be done with it as quick? I tell you,” cried Tom, “I’m the very man for you! See here: you’re one short. Take me in his place, and serve me the same if I turn out worse than my word!”

His sudden vehemence, his impassioned manner, his fevered and infuriated eyes, all had their effect upon the bushrangers, who now (with the exception of Peter Pindar and De Gruchy) got up and held a whispered consultation some few paces from the fire. Tom watched them eagerly, and each time the wall-eyes or the fire-lit spectacles were turned upon him, he made ready to rise. But now and then they glanced at De Gruchy instead, who was still nursing a sullen face, and at such times their whispers fell lower still, so that Tom was at once startled and interested when a new voice gobbled in his ear:—

“Yabber-yabber ’longa him—him bael budgerie—him no dam’ use!”

It was Peter Pindar, whose oily locks and curling beard nodded disgustedly in De Gruchy’s direction.

“Why not?” said Tom. “What has he done?”

“Him good-fellow belonging Francisco,” replied the black. “Me leave ’m alonga Francisco, me Hookey Simp’on. Bael budgerie; me leave ’m alonga good-fellow, my word!”

And the simian face grinned from ear to ear, in each of which Tom now beheld a gold ear-ring smeared with blood. But he was determined to be horrified no more;