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the gang had been there, the thunder of approaching horses’ hooves would have given them plenty of warning.
    The officers questioned the people who lived in the huts. A crowd of spectators grew, as neighbours and men mining in the area came to see what all the fuss was about. By this time it was morning and everyone was hungry. Refreshments were sent for and everyone settled down to a pleasant breakfast in the bush. The police decided that the day’s search was over and the searchers went back to Beechworth.
    Renewed Confidence
    After two months on the run, Ned was confident that the gang could evade the bungling police forever. He didn’t like being continually dependent on the charity of poor farmers for food, though. He needed money. The Kelly Gang had already run rings around one symbol of authority—the police. Next they would take on the banks.

7. A Perfect Plan
    What if you were there...
    It’s in all the papers. I saw it all. I’ll remember it as long as I live.
    I was out in the back yard hanging out the last of the washing—some of the baby’s things and the doilies—when one strong hand grabbed my arm and another one clamped over my mouth.
    “Don’t be afraid,” said a voice behind me. “We’re sticking up the bank, but you’ve nothing to fear if you do as I say.”
    I couldn’t see who it was.
    “We’re going into the house,” he said. “Will you stay quiet?”
    I nodded. I couldn’t have cried out if I’d have wanted to, I was that frightened.
    He led me to the house. My knees were shaking so much I thought I was going to faint and the robber had to half carry me to the back door.
    “Is it the Kelly Gang?” I asked, my voice shaking as much as my knees.
    “Yes,” he said. “I’m Dan Kelly.”
    It wasn’t until we were inside that I could see my captor. I’d been expecting a rough looking lout, but there was a neat, clean-shaven young man standing in front of me.
    “Are you all right?” he asked.
    I nodded.
    “My brother is up the front relieving your master of the bank’s money,” he said with a smile. “We’ll just wait here until he gives the word.”
    I thought that bushrangers would wear horrible dirty clothes that smelt of horse sweat, but Dan Kelly was wearing a beautiful suit of clothing: grey tweed trousers and vest, a crisp, clean shirt and a black jacket with a white kerchief in the breast pocket. He wore a white hat, which he took off as soon as he was inside the house. His hair was black and quite long, but neatly combed. He smelt nice too. He could see I was frightened, so he fetched me a glass of water and asked me about my family.
    After a while, two other robbers came in from the bank chamber with Mr Scott. One of the robbers was Ned Kelly himself. The other I recognised as Stephen Hart, who used to be at the same school as me. Mr Scott was trying to be brave and forbade them from going into the family’s rooms. Ned Kelly pushed him aside and went in anyway. Mrs Scott was very calm. You’d think she got held up by bushrangers every day.
    They’d collected all the money from the bank. I thought that was the end of it, but the Kellys had other plans. Next thing they took us to carts and wagons in the yard and drove us off. There was quite a crowd, what with the whole Scott family, the bank clerks, the nanny and me.
    I was in a cart sitting between Mr Scott and Ned Kelly. The other carts were following. Stephen Hart rode behind. I turned and Dan, who was driving the hawker’s wagon, winked to reassure me. I had no clue where we were going, but I’d lost my fear—this was a better way to spend an afternoon than doing the ironing.
    We arrived at Faithfull’s Creek homestead, which was where the gang was hiding out. The housekeeper cooked a meal and we were invited to eat in the kitchen with the bushrangers. While Ned Kelly was impressing Mrs Scott and the other ladies with his stories, I talked to Dan. He told me about the hard times they’d had since