nd
my mate's hut is less than a quarter of a mile off, and you will be
welcome there if you like to strike camp and come along with me. Our
tea-kettle is boiling, and the damper will be cooked by the time we get
there. I am the hut-keeper; and my mate, the shepherd, had just penned
the sheep and made all snug for the night, when I caught sight of the
glare of your fire. Says I to my mate, `It's some of them natives, and
they'll be trying to steal a sheep, or do some other mischief; at all
events, I'll go and see what they're about.' When I heard that jolly
song of yours, sir, I soon knew all was right, though I did wonder how
you came to be out here."

Mudge, who was perfectly satisfied that the man was what he represented
himself to be, at once accepted his invitation; and emptying our kettle,
we quickly slung that and our other traps on our backs, and prepared to
accompany the shepherd.

"Stay, mates, we'll put out the fire first," he said; "we don't know
where the sparks may be carried to if left alone: they might soon set
the whole country in a blaze."

Having taken this precaution, we walked briskly along with our new
friend. We soon reached a low shingle-roofed slab hut, from which a
couple of dogs issued, barking furiously on hearing the footsteps of
strangers. The hut-keeper's voice quickly silenced them, when they came
fawning up to him, licking even our hands when they discovered that we
were whites. Our companion ushered us into his hut, which consisted of
one smoke-begrimed room, containing a clay fireplace, two rough bunks in
the corner, and a table and couple of stools in the centre. The kettle
on the wood fire was bubbling and hissing merrily.

Our guide's "chum," as he called him, presently came in from the
sheepfold, and gave us a hearty welcome. He was as rough-looking as his
companion, but scarcely rougher than Mudge, with his unshaven beard, his
moustache, and long hair; and I, though I had not a beard and moustache
to boast of, must have looked pretty rough too.

Our hosts gave us the best they had: fresh damper, broiled mutton, and
tea. The captain, as they called their master, allowed no spirits, but,
they acknowledged, took good care that they were well supplied with
necessaries; and if we would stop another day they would give us
plum-pudding for dinner. We, of course, said that we were anxious to go
on to the station as soon as possible, that we might obtain horses to
return to