Our adventure was concluded far faster than any of us dared hope. Even as our dismay was still fresh in our minds at having been sent back to the swamp where one monster died, and another still lived, our salvation was suddenly effected. However, there was a grave cost.
We had arrived back at our campsite near the swamp with the afternoon sun still bright and warm, though dusk was but an hour away. The tension of the bushrangers had relaxed a little in response to our cooperative behaviour over the hours of the ride. We had all just dismounted except for Cameron and Andrew, who both seemed about to dismount. However, suddenly Cameron and Andrew shouted, kicked their horse into a gallop and took off across the clearing to the trees south of the swamp.
Immediately two bushrangers fired the
