answered by Miss Chris, who wore her hat and was on the point of leaving
for her home at Summers'.

'I want your father,' said Dick quickly. 'The troopers 'r' after him.
Tell him to bolt.'

'Dickie--Dickie, whatever do you mean?' cried Christina, greatly
agitated.

The next moment she was thrust aside and Shine appeared, showing a drawn
gaunt face, the skin of which looked crinkled and yellow in the candle
light, like old parchment.

'What's that?' he gasped. 'Who wants me?'

'You're found out,' said Dick, drawing back, shocked by the ghastly
appearance of the man. 'They're after Rogers. They've got him by this, I
expect, an' they'll soon have you if you don't make a bolt fer it.'

Shine uttered a wailing cry and Dick turned and fled again, afraid of
being seen in the vicinity of the searcher's abode by Downy or any of his
men. Looking back he saw that the house was now in darkness, and surmised
that Ephraim had taken advantage of his warning to escape into the bush.

When Harry Hardy and the trooper rode up to Shine's house half an hour
later, they found the place deserted. The door was on the latch, and the
interior gave no indication of a hurried departure, but the searcher was
nowhere to be seen.

'It's all right,' said Harry, 'he'll be somewhere about the township.