On his way back to Mudgee he drove leisurely along declaring to himself that the life of a driver of Cobb and Co coaches was not what it was cracked up to be. 

He ended his cogitations by declaring that he would not tell the police or anyone he had been a prisoner of the bushrangers for several hours. 

And Pasha was good as his word. He was dumb as an oyster when he arrived back in Mudgee.

But things did not turn out right for Pasha. 

A women who had been involved in the same hold up went straight the Mudgee police and said she had been robbed of a half-sovereign. 

At the same time she expressed her opinion that Pasha was in league with the bushrangers, and wouldn’t be surprised if that very coachman hadn’t her lost sovereign on him. 

When Barry was searched it was found that he did happen to have a half-sovereign. 

However, it was known to a few present that Pasha was always carried at least one half sovereign.

The following day James Rutherford, Pasha’s boss wired him not to take delivery of the mail bags at Mudgee unless he was offered a police escort. 

At the time there was a rumour that the bushranger Lowry was still in the area and that he had organised a strong band of seven armed men.

The next morning Pasha went down to the police station to get an escort, but  he could not find one willing to undertake the billet.  Pasha declared they were all afraid.   

He refused to take charge of the mail bags and went out without them, a fact unknown to the bushrangers.

As Pasha was returning the very next night he was stuck up again by the two men in the very same place. The two horse leaders were unhitched and the wheels securely fastened. 

It was a very cold night, and Pasha had a  warm coat on. His only trouble was that the bushrangers may take his coat and possession of his nolens volens.   

They tied him to a tree in the gully but rode off and returned again in 20 minutes. During their absence Pasha managed to get his hands out of the cords, with which he was bound.   When they saw them returning he placed them back in the manacles.

They rode off a second time leaving Pasha bound to the sapling and advising him that if he ever managed to get loose to keep a still tongue in his head, and not to go running after the police to inform them, as he had done the night before.  

It was about a mile from Johnny Fox’s pub, where Pasha was stuck up.  

After the bushrangers had gone a second time, Pasha could not get  the cords loose gain. His hands and wrists  had swollen with the cold. 

However, bless with a good pair of lungs, Barry commenced to coee, until  some travellers passing by heard him, went down to where he was and released him.

Pasha Barry was probably the jolliest Jehue (fastest driver) that ever held the ribbons on then Mudgee road. 

Nothing use to please him better than to have for a box seat companion, one of the many “Johnny Raws” that used to be rushed to the country for colonial experience. 

One day the coach was rattling along the Apple Flat Road when they sighted a pair of old boots stuck, soles upwards on the side of a hill.  

Pasha informed the new comer that under the shoes was the body of man who had been lynched for voting 37 times at a local election.                

Part 3  will explain how Pasha Barry became a “King-maker”.