"What's your game, gentlemen?" asked Hal, boldly stepping out, followed by Reg and the girls.
"What do you mean?"
"Are you shearers?"
"No, decidedly not. Why?"
"Because we heard some black-legs were coming. That's all."
Two of the passengers were injudicious enough to say they were shearers, one of them calling out—"I'm a shearer, and I'm going to work, for I've a wife and family to keep. D—n your unions."
With a war-whoop the whole body, headed by the red-headed bully, made for the two men, who, in spite of the presence of six constables, were doomed to be knocked about severely, if not in danger of being killed, when Hil, in an impulsive moment, rushed forward to their rescue.
"Stand aside, you cowards," she called out, producing a revolver. "I shoot the first man that touches them again." Then the crowd fell back for a moment.
"You dirty cowards," said Hal, coming forward with Reg.