human
I was thinking of giving it up, and moving back into the more populated districts, one of the settlers said to Reuben;
gpt
From what I hear, Reuben said,
human
Yes, that is true, the settler said.
gpt
I suppose it couldn't be done. But it's anxious work sleeping here, night after night, with one's rifle by one's bedside, never certain at what hour one may be woke by the yelling of the blacks. But they are not as bad as the bush rangers. If the blacks can but drive off your cattle, they are contented. You have got nothing else that is much use to them. The bush rangers don't want your cattle, beyond a head or two for present use; but they want everything else you've got, and whether you like it or not is quite immaterial to them. Thank God I have got no money in the place, and I and my three men can make a pretty good fight of it. But I pity the men with wives and daughters.
human
Well, I hope we shall soon put a stop to it, Reuben said cheerfully.
gpt
We will give them a lesson if we catch them, you may be quite sure.
human
I hope so, the settler said.
gpt
But you folks have been mighty unlucky, lately. Never seem to have been at the right place at the right time. Not that I am surprised at that, in such a district; but somehow they never come up with the fellows, afterwards.
human
No, they seem to have had bad luck, Reuben agreed.
gpt
I hope we shall do better now.
human
Captain, he said--for although Reuben had no right to that title, he was always so called by the settlers--
gpt
When was it?
human
Some time yesterday afternoon--at least, I judge so. One of the men was to have come in for supplies, and when night came and he hadn't come in, I began to be afraid something was wrong, for I knew that they were getting short. So this morning, at daybreak, I rode out with the hands I have about the house. We could see nothing of the sheep, so we rode straight to the men's hut. There, lying some twenty yards away, was the body of one of the men, riddled with spear holes. He had evidently been running to the hut for shelter, when he was overtaken. I did not stop to look for the other, for no doubt he had been killed, too.
gpt
Well, we will do what we can for you, Reuben said.
human
I will be ready in five minutes.