"I had a great mind to end their days on the spot; but doubtful of my authority in the premises, and fearing their deaths would be the subject of a judicial examination, prevented me. My men, half of them wounded, and three dead, were frantic for the villains' blood, and it was with difficulty that I could restrain them.
"I attended to the injuries of the men as well as I was able, and then making the stockmen provide as good a supper as they could get, we satisfied our appetites; but even while doing so, sleep overpowered us, so tired were we with our long journey.
"I determined to halt for that night, at the station, and let the men get recruited. One of the stockmen and one of my men were placed on guard over the prisoners, and relieved every two hours during the night, with express orders to shoot them if they moved hand or foot in the way of attempting to escape, was the means of keeping the murderers quiet, and enabling my men to attain that rest which they stood so much in need of.
"Not to tire you too much with minute particulars, we next day buried our killed and started for Melbourne, where we arrived safe with our prisoners, and a few days afterwards they were hung in the jail-yard."
"Maurice," said the lieutenant to the sentinel at the door, who had been listening to the recital, "do you wish to meet with two more such villains?"
"God forbid, your honor," answered Maurice, crossing himself; for he was a devout Catholic. "I have hardly recovered the use of my arm where the devils struck me with a knife."
By the time the lieutenant had concluded, and we had drank a strong cup of tea, the sun was just setting behind the dark forest, which we had penetrated the day before, and word was passed from mouth to mouth to bring up the horses and get ready for a start.