pumped. My heart began to beat against the ceiling of my head, and my
lungs all choked up in my throat. When I guessed he was getting
within kicking distance I glanced round so's to dodge the kick. He
let out; but I shied just in time. He missed fire, and the slipper
went about twenty feet up in the air and fell in a waterhole.

He was done then, for the ground was stubbly and stony. I seen Bill
on ahead pegging out for the horizon, and I took after him and reached
for the timber for all I was worth, for I'd seen Stiffner's missus
coming with a shovel--to bury the remains, I suppose; and those two
were a good match--Stiffner and his missus, I mean.

Bill looked round once, and melted into the bush pretty soon after
that. When I caught up he was about done; but I grabbed my swag and
we pushed on, for I told Bill that I'd seen Stiffner making for the
stables when I'd last looked round; and Bill thought that we'd better
get lost in the bush as soon as ever we could, and stay lost, too, for
Stiffner was a man that couldn't stand being had.

The first thing that Bill said when we got safe into camp was: "I
told you that we'd pull through all right. You need never be
frightened when you're travelling with me. Just take my advice and
leave things to me, and we'll hang out all right. Now-."

But I shut him up. He made me mad.

"Why, you--! What the sheol did _you_ do?"

"Do?" he says. "I got away with the swags, didn't I? Where'd they
be now if it wasn't for me?"