short duration, for a shot striking a defective part penetrated the shield and wounded one of the bearers badly. As soon as those stationed in front of the hut saw the occurrence they made a simultaneous rush but were met by a steady fire: every shot told, and they were obliged to fall back carrying with them several wounded comrades.
At this stage of the proceedings three mounted troopers, constituting the body-guard of a stout gentleman who was observed making himself very active in the background, joined in the fray, and for a time they engaged the particular attention of the enemy. The gentleman proved to be no other than Mr. Robberson, the hero of the "Big Ann." He had been dispatched to aid in the capture of the bushrangers, and quite unintentionally he had arrived upon the scene of action, but like a good general he did his utmost to keep out of harm's way and under the friendly shelter of a grove of trees, issued orders which no one thought of obeying but the three unfortunate convict troopers who had been placed under him.[1]
Whilst the shield was being overhauled and strengthened, and preparations were making for a second attack under its friendly cover, one of the troopers was sent by Mr. Robberson with an order that the unwieldy machine was to be placed at his service, so that he might shift his position in safety nearer to the centre of operations. A general laugh announced the delivery of the message, and Dodge, after learning who the important gentleman was from whom the command emanated, sent the bearer of it back with a polite intimation that the shield was at Mr. Robberson's service, and that he was quite at liberty to come for it. The irate magistrate was almost
- ↑ The ranks of the border police were usually filled by men who had been transported for military offences.
