way,
the better. He's a different sort of chap than the last fellow. I
sha'n't feel comfortable till he's got either a spear or a pistol
bullet in him."

[Illustration: Jim Notes the Bush Rangers' Plans for Mischief.]

Jim, who was squatting in the corner, apparently half asleep, was
listening intently to every word. They did not heed his presence in
the slightest; for indeed he had, since his arrival, so mixed his
talk with native words that the bush rangers had no idea that he
could follow their conversations.

He was thinking, now, what was his best course to adopt. In the
first place, he had gathered from their talk that this was only one
of their hiding places, and that they seldom stayed very long in
one neighbourhood. The question, therefore, was whether they would
return. It was of no use his going to give the alarm, unless he
could return before his escape was suspected; or they would have
made off before he could get back again.

As for the Donalds, whose station was to be attacked, it gave him
no concern whatever; for the Australian blacks had little or no
regard for life, except those of people to whom they were attached.
It was Reuben's mission to capture the bush rangers and, had it
been necessary, Jim would have remained quiet while a dozen
families were slain, until he found an opportunity of bringing the
police down upon them.

He listened now, intently, for any word which might afford an index
to their intentions. Presently the question he hoped for came.

"I suppose you will not come back here again, Tom?"

"No, I thinks it's getting too hot to hold us, in these parts. We
might ride back here, give our horses a rest, and load up with a
few things we may want. We can bring two or three spare horses from
Donald's. The weather is pleasant now, and we might very well put
in a few weeks with the blacks. That last haul we made of traders'
goods--cottons, and beads, and trumperies for the gins, and brass
rings and such like for the men--will put them in the best of
humours. You may be sure there will be a hot chase after us, after
this business; and I should propose that we try our luck down
south, for a bit."

"I agree with you," one of the others said. "We have had a very
good spell here, for the last ten months; and it don't do to tempt
luck too long. That losing three of our number, last week, looked
as if it was going to turn."

"What's it matter?" the captain laughed. "So much the more fo