ather, is the chief danger to be guarded against when
travelling in Australia.

Edith thanked her carriers for having saved her so much fatigue.

"Sure, it's the pleasantest thing I've done for many a day, Miss Edith,"
answered Paddy, with a flourish of his straw hat; "and of course I just
speak the sentiments of all the rest."

Mudge, who was not in the habit of paying compliments, smiled; but he
told Edith he was very glad to have been able to carry her, and that he
should propose making a litter for Mrs Rayner, and letting Harry, and
Tom, and Popo, and me act as her bearers for another day.

Scarcely had we sat down to supper when we were saluted with the same
discordant, laughing cry which had startled us on the previous evening;
but this time, knowing from whence it proceeded, we felt no alarm;
though I believe that, had not Pullingo killed the gogobera, we should
not have been convinced that a bird could have produced such sounds.

Of course, we kept a watch; but the night passed away without any event
to disturb our rest. Even before the sun was up, our friend the
"laughing jackass" woke us with his strange cries. Pullingo would have
killed him with his boomerang, had we not begged his life; and soon
after the sun was up, I observed him flying away to a place of safety,
disturbed by seeing so many people moving about.

As our rest had been cut short at the last place, my father settled to
remain here till past noon, and to make only half a day's journey, so
that we might start at dawn the next day and make some progress during
the cool hours of the morning. We therefore sat quiet after breakfast,
enjoying the rest we all more or less needed.

Though I have not before mentioned it, my father, I should have said,
invariably called all the party together for prayers, both morning and
evening, and either he or my mother read a portion of the Bible to us.

After this had been done, Mudge and I took our guns, in the hope of
shooting some birds for dinner, which we intended to take before
starting. We killed as many as we required; and finding it very hot, we
agreed to rest under the shade of a huge fern, while we sent the game
back by Popo, who had accompanied us, to be got ready for cooking.
Mudge leaned back against a tree and lighted his pipe, while I sat close
to him, enjoying the comparative coolness which the shade afforded.

We had not been resting many minutes when we heard a rustling sound in
the