“Had we not better try and help them?” exclaimed Jack to Brinsmead; “they will never do it of themselves, and we should soon get the wood off the waggon.”
“Let us see how they manage for themselves first,”
answered Brinsmead. “I don’t see what business they have to upset their waggon just at this moment. It is my belief that they could have prevented the accident had they chosen, from the way it went over.”
Meantime the drovers with shouts and blows were turning back the herd, to prevent them rushing into the water, which they were about to do when they found they could pass no other way.
“Shall we help you?” cried Jack to the carters. “We should soon with a few ropes be able to get your wheels on dry ground, if you take the weight off the top.”
“Mind your own business, young man!” exclaimed a voice from the neighbourhood of the cart. “We know what we’re about, and that’s more than you do, I’m thinking.”
“I do not like the look of things,” said Brinsmead to Jack. “I will stay here, and you go back and see after the cattle; I don’t know what may be happening otherwise.”
Jack accordingly, whip in hand, rode back, the herd being much more separated than usual. As he went on, he saw a considerable number of stragglers in the rear; and as he approached them, what was his astonishment to find that they were being driven away by a dozen fellows or more across the country! He instantly put spurs to his horse and galloped after them, drawing a pistol, and holding it in his hand as he advanced. The cattle-lifters, however,—for such there could be no doubt they really were,—took no notice of his approach, only urging on the beasts the faster. As he came up to the nearest man, he pulled the trigger, but the pistol flashed in the pan; while the man at whom he aimed uttered a scornful laugh in return. His second pistol behaved in the same manner; and on putting his hand in his pocket for his powder-flask, he found that that had gone.
“You will get the worst of it,” cried the man, “if you attempt to approach,” drawing, as he spoke, a pistol from under his smock-frock. “You had better go back and look after the rest of the beasts, and think yourself fortunate we have not taken the whole of them.”