he captain hesitated for a few moments, then, as if decided what to do,
he spoke.

"Keep on, and make for the tree. Have you the gun handy?"

"Yes, sir, close to my elber."

"Loaded."

"That she is, sir. Double dose o' big shot."

"That's right. But I don't think there is any danger. The blacks will
not meddle with us if we leave them alone. Look here, boys, we shall go
armed for the sake of precaution, but I fervently hope that we shall not
be called upon to fire upon the poor wretches. I daresay we shall
encounter some of them, and if we do, you must keep them at a distance.
Let them know that we are their masters, with firmness, but no cruelty."

"Look, there they go again!" cried Norman, pointing to a patch of
woodland, a quarter of a mile forward, to their left.

"Yes, I saw one dart in amongst the scrub," said the captain. "There,
keep on as if nothing had happened. It is not worth while to startle
your mother and the girls. Now, each of you to his duty, and let the
people see that we mean business, and not to take any notice of or to
molest them."

Each boy returned to his driving duties, and, on the plea of Mrs
Bedford looking dull, the captain made the two girls ride close to the
wagon, where she sat with Aunt Georgie, after which he went back to
where Uncle Jack was steadily driving his flocks and herds, and warned
him of what he had seen.

"Humph not pleasant," said the captain's brother. "Think they're
dangerous?"

"I think that the farther we get away from civilisation the less likely
they are to interfere with us, so long as we do not molest them."

"Not going to turn back, then?"

"What, because we have seen a few blacks? Hardly likely, is it?"

"No," said the other; and, keeping a sharp look-out, they went on at
their slow crawl for nearly three hours before the landmark was reached,
all pretty well exhausted, for the heat had been growing intense. But
the great tree was one of many standing out of quite a shady grove, and
this was cautiously approached by the captain, who scouted forward in
front to find it apparently quite free from any appearance of ever
having been occupied, and here in a very short time the little caravan
was arranged so that they had some protection in case of an attack; a
fire was lit by German, while the boys turned the horses loose to graze;
and water being near in a creek, the customary kettle was soon on to
boil, and Aunt Georgie was unpacking the s