and the bright sun of hope was shining warmly into their hearts.

All at once, to their great astonishment, Tam leaped up, flourished his
nulla-nulla, and shouted:

"Mine want big boomer here. Makum sore along plenty like Tam o'
Shanter."

"But he has gone bong," cried Rifle.

"Yohi. Gone bong. Marmi Tim mumkull big boomer. Now, come along, mine
fine back big white Mary."

"Yes: let's start," cried Norman; but with a pang at his heart as he
wondered whether they would ever reach home again, home which seemed now
the most lovely place on earth.

Tam refused to mount when they started.

"Mine want see close along," he said; and after a few casts here and
there, to the astonishment of all, they saw him suddenly point down, and
they all ran to his side.

"Why, there's nothing there," cried Tim.

"Yohi. Horse fellow tick um toe along."

"Yes; there is a faint mark of a hoof," said Norman in delight; and with
rising spirits they went on again, to sight the Wallaby Range and strike
Dingo Station just at dusk on the following night, after missing the
track again and again on the previous day; while on this, the last of
their return journey, Shanter marked down hills and mountains which were
familiar, so that they made extra speed, and it was necessary, for they
reached home nearly starved.

It is needless to tell of the joy at the wanderers' return, save that
Mrs Bedford's face showed the agony she must have suffered, while Aunt
Georgie had a severe scolding in store.

But all that was soon over. Shanter had gone off to a favourite nook of
his to digest damper, and the boys had about wearied themselves out
telling of their adventures, and of how wonderfully Shanter had
recovered during the last few days.

"Yes, it is wonderful," said the captain. "I suppose the way in which
they get over dangerous wounds is more wonderful still. Poor fellow! he
must have had a horrible squeeze, and the drowning, no doubt, acted like
a shock. I wish, though, you had thought to bring home the old man's
skin."

"Yes, we ought to have done that," said Norman, "for Tim's sake."

"But we had enough to do to bring home Shanter."

"Ay, that they had," cried Uncle Jack. "I don't know what Sam German
would have done without him."

"Why, he always grumbles at him for a lazy nigger," said the captain.

"Yes, but he likes him all the same."

"So we all do," chorused the boys.

"He can't help being black," said Tim.

"No