“How many are there in the band?” inquired Captain Forbush.
Warner reported.
The captain immediately started, under Warner’s guidance, with ten men, and arranged to intercept the bushrangers.
The first intimation Fletcher had of his danger was the sudden appearance of the soldiers, who broke through the underbrush and took the astonished bushrangers in the flank.
“Surrender instantly, or you are dead men!” exclaimed Forbush sternly.
Fletcher fell back in dismay, and was at first speechless with consternation.
“Do you surrender?” repeated the government officer impatiently.
Fletcher’s eye ran over the party that confronted him. They outnumbered his own forces two to one. He felt that resistance would be useless.
“We will release our captives if you let us go,” he said.
“So you would make conditions? You are in no condition to do that. We propose to free your captives, and to take you to our camp.”