Jim and Paddy Kenniff rode through thick bull oaks at dawn. Jim’s horse stopped lame and would not be spurred into another step.

Jim dismounted and took off the saddle and blanket. He left these by a tree. He took the bridle and put it in Paddy’s saddlebag. He leapt up behind Paddy’s saddle and they ran the horse into gallery woods on Six Mile Creek.

They ran the horse ten miles to the edge of Westgrove Station. They waited in the dark and watched the station but no rider came to the gate. The lights went out in the house. There were three horses in the yard. They waited till the stars said it was midnight then went to the yard and caught two of the horses with bridles and tethered them to a railing post and went to the store shed. A thirteen-year old girl woke and stood on the veranda in a white nightdress in the starlight, staring at them. Paddy put his finger to his lips.