"I don't want to hurt anybody," he said softly, "but no one shall drive me over without getting something first. It's that Ratcliff Highway chap at his games again. I wish they'd hang him or send him somewhere else." And he thought of a warder who had been disabled for life, and another who was absent twelve months, both from injuries inflicted by a savage brute whom all the men feared. Another instant and all doubts were at an end, for there was a bright flash, and directly after the heavy, reverberating roar of a gun. "Sharp's the word!" said the man softly as, taught by training, his fingers involuntarily drew forth aloud clicking from the lock of the piece he held; and as he stood there, breathing hard, every nerve and muscle was on the strain, for he could hear steps coming rapidly in his direction, and they must pass him--there was no other way; and it meant a desperate attack made by men armed with hammers and bars, perhaps only stones, and on the warder's part duty and self defence. "Someone's number crossed out," he muttered fiercely, for there was no feeling of dread now. Then a change came over him as, with an intense feeling of satisfaction, he grasped the fact that the measured beat of feet was that of their more disciplined men. He challenged, and there was the reassuring response. "Anyone been this way?" cried a sergeant breathlessly as he halted four men. "No." "Three of 'em got out and half killed two warders. They came along here, we think." "Nobody been this way." "Keep a sharp lookout, then. We're going on. Challenge, of course, but if they don't stand let them have it. They won't spare you. Ready, there; we'll go on to the next post, and come back directly." "Stop!" said the sentry huskily; "I thought I heard a stone roll down from up yonder a few minutes ago." "They are there, then," cried the sergeant, "safe enough. Now, then," he shouted; "the game's up, my lads. Give in. No stones, or I'll give orders to fire. Ready, there; present!" There was a dead silence. "Nobody could get over the cliff here," growled one of the men. "Monkeys might, perhaps." "Silence!" cried the sergeant. "They must be there. Now, then, will you come down, or are we to pick you off?" "Hush! What's that?" The unmistakable rattling of stones and a scrambling sound as if someone had slipped. "Hah! that's good enough. Now, then, is it surrender?" Silence again, and the darkness in front blacker than ever. "You will have it, then," cried the sergeant. "One and four, a dozen paces right and left." The evolution was performed, and then with a man on each side of him the sergeant once more shouted to the convicts to give in. "Hi, look out!" roared one of the warders. "In the queen's name, surrend--"