We rode out of the flats up a gentle ascent, as night was closing in. I was not in talking humour; but I said, ‘You have saved my life.’ ‘Well, I rather think I have’ but this was muttered in an under tone; ‘it’s not the first I have saved, or taken either, for that matter.’ I was too much worn out for thanking much, but I pulled out a silver hunting-watch and put it into his hand. He pushed it back, almost roughly, saying, ‘No, Sir, not now; I shalln’t take money or money’s worth for that, though I may ask something some time. It’s nothing, after all. I owed the old black devil a grudge for spoiling a blood filly of mine; beside, though I didn’t know it when I rode up first, and went at the beast to take the devil out of myself as much as anything,—I rather think that you are the young gentleman that ran through the Bush at night to Manchester Dan’s hut, when his wife was bailed up by the Blacks, and shot one-eyed Jackey, in spite of the Governor’s proclamation.’ ‘You seem to know me,’ I answered; ‘pray may I ask who you are, if it is a fair question, for I cannot remember ever having seen you before.’ ‘Oh, they call me “Two-handed Dick,” in this country.’ The scene in the roadside inn flashed on my recollection. Before I could say another word, a sharp turn round the shoulder of the range we were traversing, brought us in sight of the fire of a shepherd’s hut. The dogs ran out barking; we hallooed and cracked our whips, and the hut-keeper came to meet us with a fire-stick in his hand. ‘Lord bless my heart and soul! Dick, is that thee at last? Well, I thought thee were’t never coming;’ cried the hut-keeper, a little man, who came limping forward very fast with the help of a crutch-handled stick. ‘I say, Missis, Missis, here’s Dick, here’s Two-handed Dick.’ This was uttered in a shrill, hysterical sort of scream. Out came ‘Missis’ at the top of her speed, and began hugging Dick as he was getting off his horse, her arms reached a little above his waist, laughing and crying, both at the same time, while her husband kept fast hold of the Stockman’s hand, muttering, ‘Lord, Dick, I’m so glad to see thee.’ Meanwhile the dogs barking, and a flock of weaned lambs just penned, ba’aing, made such a riot, that I was fairly bewildered. So, feeling myself one too many, I slipped away, leading off both the horses to the other side the hut, where I found a shepherd, who showed me a grass paddock to feed the nags a bit before turning them out for the night. I said to him, ‘What _is_ the meaning of all this going on between your mate and his wife, and the big Stockman?’ ‘The meaning, Stranger; why, that’s Two-handed Dick, and my mate is little Jemmy that he saved, and Charley Anvils at the same time, when the Blacks slaughtered the rest of the party, near on a dozen of them.’