The Argosy, Vol. XXIV No. 2 — page 69: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

| THE TRACK OF MIDNIGHT. 261 his companions. Then he hastened back to the room, where he found Wilton lying full length on the floor and Johnson trying to force some rum between his lips. CHAPTER XVIII.—A RACE FOR RESCUE. For a long time Wilton reniained unconscious, for so long, indeed, that his two comrades began to despair of his ever coming round. ‘(Get him on to the bed,’’ Douglas said, as soon as he rejoined Johnson, and together they lifted him and carried him over to the bed where they had placed him when they carried him home from the gully. ‘What about the girl?’’ Johnson asked. ‘“The blackfellow says she and the old gin have been taken captive by the blacks, and are in a humpy the gang have up Moggill Creek. There’s a big fresh coming down from the ranges and they expect a flood, so we had better hurry as fast as we can. There were only two men in charge, the black said.”’ ‘But we cannot leave Wilton like this.’’ ‘No, one of us will have to stay—unless he comes out of this fit—when we can tell him we are going to the rescue, and leave him in Dick’s hands.’’ It was a good suggestion, Johnson thought, and the two agreed to carry it out and start for Moggill Creek directly they found Wilton was able to understand what they were doing. But when he did recover his senses again and heard the full story the blackfellow had to tell, he also wanted to go to the rescue. ‘‘ Vou cannot stand it,’’ Johnson told him. ‘‘ It will be a rough trip in the dark, and we may have to swim our horses over. You are not strong enough for that yet.’’ Douglas joined his voice in trying to persuade Wilton from any such in- tention as he had expressed. ‘‘ When we get back we shall all start for Sydney at once, and you will want what strength you have for that journey. Don’t delay us now.”’ Wilton lay back, weak and anxious. He wanted to go, but felt the force _of his friends’ words. “All right,’’ he said, ‘‘ but don’t lose time.”’ The blacks gave a minute description of the situation of the humpy, and also of the shortest route to follow to reach it; but nothing could induce them to retrace their steps that night. The next day they would go, but not before. It was no use arguing with them, so handing Wilton over to Dick, John- son and Douglas saddled their own horses, and leading two others, they set out, fully armed and equipped with everything they thought might be wanted, The night was moonless, but they were able to follow the Billah road as far as the place where the house had stood. ‘Then they turned off into the bush and rode more slowly in the direction the blacks had indicated. The route was rough and difficult, but the necessity of haste urged them forward, CONNICGlOoOKSsCO) 3