ith as much astonishment as
we looked at them. Their steeds were in tolerably good condition, but
they themselves were thin and haggard, their clothes torn almost to
tatters. Each of them had a gun slung over his shoulders, a huge pair
of holsters with a brace of pistols in them, large saddle-bags and
leathern cases strapped on at their cruppers.

"Hallo, strangers, where do you come from?" exclaimed one of the men,
with an oath. "I didn't think there were any whites hereabouts."

"Nor did we expect to see any one at this distance from Sydney," said
Mudge, eyeing the horsemen with a suspicious glance. "Where do you come
from, my friends?"

"As to that, I don't think it much concerns you," answered the man;
"but, as I take it you are Englishmen, you'll give us a share of these
kangaroos; for there's one thing I can tell you,--we're pretty sharp
set."

"So I should think, from your appearance," observed Mudge; "you must
have had a rough and long journey up from Sydney."

"I didn't say we were from Sydney,--though I'll allow we have been
there," answered the man; "but it's a good many months since we left it,
and we've been leading a pretty rough life since then. However, what we
want just now is a slice of that kangaroo; and we'll talk about other
matters when we've set it before the fire to roast."

"You're welcome to as much of the meat as you want," answered Mudge,
"though we haven't got a fire to roast it at."

"We'll soon have one, master," answered the man. He and his companion
then getting off their horses, tethered them, and speedily collecting
some dry wood, of which there was an abundance scattered about, piled it
up; and one of them producing a tinder-box, quickly lighted the heap--
first taking care, however, to cut the dry grass all around. They then
helped themselves pretty freely to the flesh, which, cutting into thin
slices, they held at the end of sticks before the fire. Before it was
half done through, however, they began eagerly gnawing away at it,
unable longer to restrain their appetite. The smell made us hungry; so
cutting off some thin slices, we roasted them in the same manner, but
far more thoroughly than the strangers had done.

Pullingo, who had been watching us, now stole up, and by his gestures
begged for a share,--which, of course, we gave him. The strangers eyed
him narrowly; and though the desire to get the food had induced him to
come up, he evidently regarded them with