"Why, we've had lots," said Tim.

"Oh, they were nothing. I mean a regular real one all by ourselves.
How far do you mean to go to-night?"

"As far as we can before sunset," said Norman; "only we must be guided
by circumstances."

"Which means wood, water, and shelter," said Tim, sententiously. "I
say, suppose after all we were to meet a tribe of black fellows. What
should we do?"

"Let 'em alone," said Rifle, "and then they'd leave us alone."

"Yes; but suppose they showed fight and began to throw spears at us."

"Gallop away," suggested Tim.

"Better make them gallop away," said Norman. "Keep just out of reach of
their spears and pepper them with small shot."

After a time they overtook the black, and had to dismount to rearrange
the baggage on the packhorse, which was sadly disarranged; but this did
not seem to trouble Shanter, who stood by solemnly, leaning upon his
spear, and making an occasional remark about, "Dat fellow corbon
budgery," or, "Dis fellow baal budgery,"--the "fellows" being tin pots
or a sheet of iron for cooking damper.

"Fellow indeed!" cried Rifle, indignantly; "you're a pretty fellow."

"Yohi," replied the black, smiling. "Shanter pretty fellow. Corbon
budgery."

But if the black would not work during their excursion after the fashion
of ordinary folk, he would slave in the tasks that pleased him; and
during the next few days their table--by which be it understood the
green grass or some flat rock--was amply provided with delicacies in the
shape of 'possum and grub, besides various little bulbs and roots, or
wild fruits, whose habitat Shanter knew as if by instinct. His
boomerang brought down little kangaroo-like animals--wallabies such as
were plentiful on the range--and his nulla-nulla was the death of three
carpet-snakes, which were roasted in a special fire made by the black,
for he was not allowed to bring them where the bread was baked and the
tea made.

So day after day they journeyed on over the far-spreading park-like
land, now coming upon a creek well supplied with water, now toiling over
some rocky elevation where the stones were sun-baked and the vegetation
parched, while at night they spread the piece of canvas they carried for
a tent, hobbled the horses, and lay down to sleep or watch the stars
with the constellations all upside down.

They had so far no adventures worth calling so, but it was a glorious
time. There was the delicious sense of utter freedom f