the striking of lucifers accompanied by another sound, as of something being dragged from the hut. He looked round, and it was Ginger’s bed. The overseer lay upon it, bound and gagged.
Tom drew a deep breath. He had expected worse.
Brummy and Roberts were now despatched to the convicts’ huts, to tell the rest, at the right moment, what was happening, and how they would all be free men within an hour if they abstained from interference, but dead men if they did not. Then the black crept up close to the palisade, while Hookey rode to one side and the other two hid behind trees. Meanwhile the overseer’s hut was beginning to crackle, and all at once Tom saw the shadow of his tree leap out towards the palisade upon a ground of glaring red.
“Ring! Ring!” cried Hookey from his horse.
Almost with his words a terrific clang, clang, clang, burst out from amid the red-gum’s leaves. And almost with the alarum, a couple of white figures leapt out into the red glare behind the palisade.
Tom stood and watched like an actor who has forgotten he is on the stage himself.
He saw the white figures dash through the gate, and a black one glide in front of it next moment. He saw Nat Sullivan stop running, seize his father’s arm and point excitedly towards the burning hut. He saw them both about to turn, when the son was lifted off his legs as though he had been an infant; and there were coal-black arms entwined about his night-shirt, and snow-white teeth grinning over his shoulder. Hookey Simpson galloped up; Slipper and Wall-eye darted from behind their trees. All had pistols in their hands and masks upon their faces. And the masks reminded Tom
