eped out of the
front door, looking for Bill. The lubras began yabbering, and in an
instant Bill dropped his rug and the axe, leaped over the heads of
the women, and was off like a deer. I took a flying shot at him with
both barrels. His lubra went about afterwards among the stations
complaining that Jack Quart Pot shot Cockatoo Bill, and Parker (the
Government Protector) made enquiries about him. I saw him coming
towards my hut, and I said to piccaninny Charlotte, 'No talk, no
English, no nothing;' and when Parker asked her if she knew anything
about Cockatoo Bill she shammed stupid, and he couldn't get a word
out of her. Who is that cove with the spyglass?"

"That's John Campbell, the company's storeman. He is looking for a
schooner every day. He would have gone long ago like the rest, but
he does not like to leave the stores behind. Here, Mr. Campbell,
wouldn't you like to take a roast egg or two for breakfast? There's
plenty for the whole camp."

"I will, Davy, and thank you. Who are the men in the boat down the
channel?"

"They are George Scutt and Pately Jim fishing for their breakfast.
They were hungry, I reckon, and went away before I brought out the
eggs, or they might have had a feed."

While the men were roasting their eggs, their eyes wandered over
everything within view, far and near. On land and sea their lives had
often depended on their watchfulness. The sun was growing warm, and there
was a quivering haze over the waters. While glancing down the
channel, Davy observed some dark objects appearing near a mangrove
island. He pointed them out to Campbell, and said:

"What kind of birds are they? Do you think they are swans?"

"I can't think what else they can be," said Campbell; "but they have
not got the shape of birds, and they don't swim smoothly like swans,
but go jerking along like big coots. Take a look through the glass,
Davy, and see if you can make them out."

Davy took a long and steady look, and said: "I am blowed if they
ain't blackfellows in their canoes. They are poleing them along
towards the channel, one, two, three--there's a dozen of 'em or
more. I can see their long spears sticking out, and they are after
some mischief. The tide is on the ebb, and they are going to drop
down with it, and spear those two men in the boat; and they are both
landlubbers, and haven't even got a gun with them. We must bear a
hand and help them. Get your guns and we'll launch the w