George Henry Haydon

“ Hugh asked.
"To that respectable gentleman I spoke of—old Dodge himself—He is your humble servant.—Strangers, allow me to introduce to you Giles Dodge—squatter—an outlaw (that means out of the reach of the law, you know,) —the will-o'the-wisp of lawyers—the terror of bailiffs—and as good a rifle shot as any in these parts; who can sneak a kangaroo or a bailiff with any man in the settlement—if he can't may I be darned." ”

“ Hugh and Slinger had no difficulty in recognising the form and features of Bayley. Stooping down, yet still prepared for immediate action, he raised the prostrate Jarrol and lifting him upon one of his shoulders, he stalked away into the darkness, with his face still bent upon the wonder-stricken travellers. It was not before his form was nearly lost in the gloom that Dodge seized a gun and was preparing to follow, but he was restrained by Slinger.—"That fellow deserves all his luck," he said, "bushranger or whatever he is, who ventured so much to save a comrade." ”

“ Weevel regarded the prospect for a moment, and then sunk his head in utter despair.
"He's a nice fellow to come to a new country," whispered Slinger, "a few mosquitoes, a scrub, and a swamp have broken his spirit—that is, if he ever had one."
The mosquitoes became more blood-thirsty that ever. Poor Weevel was endeavouring to wrap his face in a highly scented and particularly white handkerchief. He had taken off his hat and placed it on the deck, when the sun, reflected from a small circular looking-glass, which was fixed inside the crown, cast the glitter full in the skipper's eyes. ”

“ With the utmost coolness, extending both arms, and still carrying the novel flag of truce, Dodge left the shelter of the store and walked towards the door of the hut, from whence a tall man issued in a similar attitude. After exchanging a few words they went back together, and the door was closed.
"You are as good as taken," were the first words Dodge uttered as he entered. "Don't deceive yourselves, you can't escape. As it is, you have shed no blood in the fray, and may escape hanging."
"But since the choice remains with us, we prefer the risk of being shot," was the rejoinder. ”

“ In the fracas the looking-glass hat had fallen to the ground. It had not escaped the notice of the natives, who passed it from one to the other, each making a grimace, and grinning into it as only Australian natives can grin. "Oh!" groaned Weevel, growing very pale, "I'm wounded;" and he laid his hand tenderly upon the part;— I remember feeling a stab in the heat of the conflict.—Oh dear!— Oh!"
"Where is he wounded?" said Hugh to Slinger.
"Oh, behind of course:" said Slinger, with a smile: "Weevel will never be hurt anywhere else, excepting by pure accident. ”

“ I must save myself now in reality and be a free man again."
"Ungrateful wretch," said Bayley, "I will not ask my life of you:" as he finished speaking every muscle of his frame seemed to be writhing in agony, his face assumed an expression of fearful rage, and the veins in his forehead swelled almost to bursting, after a time his countenance assumed more its usual expression, and he appeared to have fainted.
Jarrol looked on this scene holding his gun in readiness for action, fearing Bayley might free himself. ”

“ At this moment a man was seen through the smoke on the top of the hut throwing down the logs which it is the fashion of bushmen to lay upon all bark roofs to prevent the heat of the sun from warping them. Slinger was following close on Dodge's heels when this figure attracted their attention, and the gun of the old bushman was already at his shoulder, when Slinger griped him by the arm and exclaimed, "Come back, there's a good fellow; for God's sake, if it be not too late, save that unfortunate man." ”

“ See that hardy youngster, who by the likeness we would swear is either a Raymond or a Slinger, we can't exactly say which, trying with all his little might to make an impression upon yon sturdy tree, as he labors determinedly with an axe which might be wielded to greater advantage by a more brawney arm. But the tiny boy is a man in spirit, and the tree, which flourished before his father lived, will fall before him.
There is another youngster; bless us! he has tumbled head-long into the stream which bounds the garden. Fly Dodge, fly to his rescue! ”

“ Of course, a man who spends one month in building a hut, and then is satisfied to vegetate in it for the remainder of his life, is not one who should have chosen the bush for a home. He," Dodge said, with some show of contempt, "should have been satisfied to remain a 'respectable' man in some old settled country: his quiet habits and respectability are out of place in the bush. I don't like a man who is all work neither. ”

“ Obedient to her master's word Lady reluctantly complied, but in such a position that every action of the bushranger was under her observation.
As Dodge was endeavouring to force a little spirit into the mouth of the gasping man, he shrieked, "Poison! poison!—hellfire! poison!—poison me, what for?—I'm nothing—I'm a——what am I?" As Hugh Raymond was stooping over, Jarrol fixed his eyes upon him in a peculiarly earnest manner and momentarily recognised him. Transient as was the impulse given, it was sufficiently lasting to bend Jarrol's wandering thoughts in the direction so much desired. ”

“ At every breeze, little jets of fine sand poured in with the sunshine, through the interstices of the weather-boards. Had there been no apertures for windows, the light, from a hundred imperfections in the woodwork, would have been sufficiently strong for most purposes. The store was deficient of any flooring boards, and the ground over which it was built was covered with a yellow sickly-looking grass very pleasant to walk on, and reminding Mr. Binns, as he assured his wife with a smile, of the old carpets they had left at home—in England. ”

“ Dodge said, as he, accidentally of course, spilt a little upon Slinger's blanket under which he yet remained coiled; "by drinking it then you will not know whether it is double distilled or not. Come, be alive!" he went on to say, shaking his friends and almost lifting them upon their legs; "be alive, my boat is on the shore, and my bark is —where?" he said, casting his eyes in the direction in which he had left the canoe over-night; his bark was not there. Further observation confirmed his belief that the river was a tidal one, and that the plains and the bay of Westernport were not far off. ”

“ The scuffling awoke the sleepers, who started on their legs in time to see the Scout kicked off his, and Dodge, still holding him by the throat, threw himself with all his weight upon the body of his nearly exhausted antagonist. "Aha! my chicken" he said, after gathering breath a little, "is shooting gentlemen a favourite sport of your's?" But the scout's powers of utterance were confined to a low moaning, although the grasp upon his throat was loosened. "Make a blaze," said Dodge, "light some dried leaves; bear a hand, and strip up a blanket; we will secure our friend here while he is quiet." ”

“ Mean time the steerage passengers had come on deck in great numbers, and, impeding the work, they were ordered below. The hatches were battened down for the second time during the voyage. The ship struggled through the water, leaving a long line of foam to mark her track.
"Does her head lay well outside the point?" cried the captain. "No:" answered the steersman, only just clears it." "Set more sail," shouted the captain: although the masts were bending and straining as if every freshening breeze would have sent them over the side. ”

“ Industry and energy have overcome all obstacles, and the wilderness "blossoms as the rose." See the surging corn in the spacious paddocks and the horses and cattle spread over that boundless plain. Come on, we must not loiter now. That peaceful group of cottages, so English in their aspect in all but the luxuriant creepers with which they are netted together, contain within their walls two prosperous and happy families. The garden, common to both, is full of the most lovely flowers such as money could scarcely purchase in England, though here they are in themselves mere weeds. ”

“ Hugh really began to fancy that Mick had been playing the part of a "gay Lothario," and must have expressed as much in his countenance; for Mick exclaimed, "I was always noted for my gallanthry, Mr. Hugh; but by the hole in my coat (he might have sworn by the fifty holes in that garment) I never wronged the young woman:—Faith how could I, don't I love Rose Blaney dearly? —Why Mary O'Rourke," he continued, turning to that disconsolate creature, "don't be crying that way: sure if yer sweetheart's left you, like a blackguard as he is, you'll soon find another in his room." ”

“ Dodge explained that he was particularly fond of air, and therefore he was rather glad that the green timber had shrunk considerably. The hut was roofed with broad sheets of stringey bark lapped one over the other, and this perhaps was the most efficient work of the whole. The chimney, which occupied a considerable space, was built up with mud and turf. There was an apology for a window, which was stuffed up with flour-bags and dried grass; but the door and its hinges was a triumph of inventive skill, of which Dodge was justly proud. ”

“ Dodge, who was not given to dream, particularly in broad daylight, had been more practically engaged. He had been so unfortunate as to break his only pipe, and had nearly completed the construction of another, the only means at his disposal being the bone of a leg of mutton, out of which he had formed the bowl, and the wing bone of a swan serving for a stem.
"You seem to like the sunshine," Dodge observed, boring into the mutton bone with his pocket knife.
"I do," Slinger replied, "how bright everything appears!" ”

“ Ah! the bottle has noble uses," he said with a smile as he glanced towards the door-post of his hut.
"Yoic! old lass! yoic! old girl!" he shouted as a fine kangaroo dog came bounding down to the water's edge to welcome her master. The dog gave signs of uneasiness by an occasional growl, which, although unnoticed by Hugh and Slinger, was not so by Dodge.
"Do you see my old Lady there?" he said, looking after his dog attentively; "there's something in the wind."
"Why you are not married, are you, Mr. Dodge?" inquired Slinger.
"Married!" said Dodge, "Married!—ha!—ha!—Married!!—ha!—ha! ”

“ To penetrate the unknown region bid fair to tax all their energies as well as patience, but there was the attraction of novelty; so that when they deliberated upon which course to take, it was unanimously determined that an endeavour should be made to penetrate through the scrub, which stood like a barrier betwixt them and the distant hills.
"In all cases of difficulty" said Dodge, "there's nothing like a pipe of tobacco: it affords a man opportunity for thought. Now I am in doubt where we had best strike into the scrub, so we will smoke over it." ”

“ It was Dodge's intention to have put his companions upon a good line for Melbourne and then to have returned alone, but on being pressed he acknowledged that a visit to town would be a great treat to him, and that he should like to accompany them, only that it would be too much like putting his head into the lion's mouth.
"But," said Slinger, "you have forgotten your bargain with us. Your creditors will listen to terms, I'll be bound; and by allowing the purchase money of your station to go towards the liquidation of your debts, I dare say you may be cleared from your present difficulties." ”

“ Weevel was not the only victim; for each passenger suffered more or less. Every exposed portion of the body became the ground of contest; and although hundreds of mosquitoes were crushed, it was a hopeless case to expect to end the persecution, as thousands appeared in their room.
"I'll tell you what, passengers," said the captain, "if you scratch and bang yourselves about as you're doing, you'll spile your beauty. As for you, young man," turning to Mr. Weevel, "your mother would hardly know you as it is." ”