rent, difficult and often very dangerous to cross.

We lost no time in building a hut for my mother and Edith, and in
arranging shelter for ourselves. Mudge, Doyle, Harry, and I then took
our guns and went out to kill some game for supper, hoping to get as
many birds as would serve also for our breakfast next day. On looking
about for Pullingo, to get him to accompany us, we found that he had
disappeared; but in what direction he had gone no one could tell.

"We can do very well without him," observed Mudge; "only we must take
care not to lose our way."

My father offered to lend us his compass, charging us to be very
careful. Our object had been to shoot cockatoos, parrots, or pigeons,
or indeed any other birds likely to prove good for food. We troubled
ourselves very little about their names or habits; we were, indeed,
sportsmen simply for the pot. We kept our eyes about us, however, in
search of a kangaroo or any other animal; and either Mudge or I had our
fowling-piece loaded with bullets, in case one should cross our path.
We had already shot several beautiful doves and parrots; but even now I
could not help feeling what a pity it was to deprive creatures with so
lovely a plumage of life.

We were walking on when Harry exclaimed, "Look! look! what is that
fearful creature?"

"A small bear, I do believe, by its colour and the way it walks,"
exclaimed Mudge as he ran on. "I hope soon to be better acquainted with
the gentleman."

The animal, which was leisurely pursuing its course, waddling along
something like a fat bear, across the bottom of a slight depression in
the ground, did not perceive us; and Mudge, whose rifle was loaded with
a bullet, soon got sufficiently near to fire. His shot must have
penetrated to the animal's heart, for it rolled over and was dead in a
moment. On examining the creature, which was three feet long, we found
its fur warm, long, and somewhat harsh to the touch, of a grey colour,
mottled with black and white. Its muzzle was very broad and thick. It
was, indeed, very similar to a bear, but it possessed a pouch like the
kangaroo, and its feet were black, and armed with strong claws.

"He is a curious-looking creature," observed Paddy, who quickly came up
with us. "One thing is very certain,--whether it's a bear or a pig of
these parts, it will give all hands a dacent supply of meat for the next
day or two."

Paddy at once set to work to cut up the animal, after which we