ft bark it stuck quivering, while the black rushed up, seized
it, dragged it out, and then treating the trunk as an enemy, he attacked
it, going through the pantomime of knocking it down, beating it on the
head, jumping on the imaginary body, and then dragging it in triumph by
the heels to where the boys stood laughing. Here he made believe to
drop the legs of his dead enemy, and gave him a contemptuous kick. "No
budgery. Shanter mumkull (kill) that black fellow."

"You seem to have found a very cheerful companion, boys," said a voice
behind them, and Uncle Jack came up with a grim smile on his
countenance. "Is that the way that fellow means to kill us?"

"No; that, was to show how he would kill all the black fellows who came
near us."

"Mumkull black fellow," cried Shanter, shaking his club threateningly.
"No come along."

Seeing the group, the captain, who had been taking a look round, and
been speaking to German, who was seated on the top of one of the loaded
wagons keeping watch, came up to them.

"That black fellow still here?" he said sternly.

"Black fellow come along," cried Shanter. "Where?"

He rushed about among the bushes, dodged in and out through the trees,
and went through a pantomime again of hunting for enemies, but soon came
back.

"No black fellow. All agone. Shanter kill mumkull."

"Very well," said the captain; "now then, you go."

He pointed away back in the direction they had come, and, looking
disappointed, the black went off toward where the river lay, and soon
disappeared among the trees.

"It will not do to encourage any of those fellows about our camp," said
the captain decisively; and they returned to where the ladies were
seated in the shade, all looking rested and cheerful, and as if they
would soon be used to their new life.

A couple of hours later they were on their way again, with the captain
and Uncle Jack in front scouting; and as they went on, the latter kept
pointing out suitable-looking pieces of land which might be taken up for
their settlement, but the captain always shook his head.

"No, Jack," he said; "they will not do."

"But the land is rich in the extreme."

"Yes; but all one dead level. Floods come sometimes, terrible floods
which rise in a few hours, and we must have high ground on which to
build our station, and to which our flocks and herds can flee."

"Right; I had not thought of that," said Uncle Jack, and they journeyed
on till night, mak