much risk about it.

"Come here, you fellow, and let me look at you."

Jim stepped forward towards the fire. He saw now that the hut was
built against the entrance to a cave of considerable size. In the
centre was a great fire, the smoke of which probably made its way
to the surface through crevices in the rock above. Four other men,
besides the one who had addressed him, were lying on sheepskins
against the wall. There was an opening at the further end of the
cave into an inner chamber; and here Jim knew, by an occasional
snort or an impatient pawing, the horses were stabled.

The chief of the party asked a few more questions as to where Jim
had come from, and how he chanced to be passing through so
unfrequented a country. As the black had already decided upon his
story, the questions were answered satisfactory enough.

"I think he's all right," the man said, at last. "At any rate here
he is, and he's not likely to go out again. We have been talking of
getting a black fellow, for some time; and as here is one ready to
hand, we may as well make the best of him.

"Look you here," he went on sternly, to the black; "you come of
your own free will, and here you have got to stop. You will have as
much to eat as you can stuff, plenty of rum to drink, and 'bacca to
smoke; and if there's anything else you fancy, no doubt you can
have it. Only look you, if you put your foot outside that door,
unless you are ordered to do so, I will put a bullet through your
black brain."

"All right," Jim said. "Plenty eat, plenty drink, plenty smoke; dat
suit Jim bery well. He no want to go out of de house, if massa say
no."

"That's settled then. Now, put some more logs on that fire."

Jim at once assumed his new duty, and the bush rangers, who all
hated the slightest work, were soon well satisfied with their new
acquisition. There were several carcasses of sheep, hanging from
hooks placed in the roof, where they were slowly smoked by the
fumes from the wood. A pile of logs were heaped up in one corner,
and these had to be cut up into sizes and lengths suitable for the
fire. At one end a space was roughly partitioned off, and this was
filled with groceries, flour, and cases of wine and spirits which
had been taken from waggons going up country.

In the stable were several sacks of oats; and a barrel filled with
water, which was drawn from a spring, a short distance from the
hut. The first time Jim went into the stable the captain