s to be so
fearfully careful about putting on a brake as a rule. However, we
got in all right, and gave a detailed account of our adventure.
Every one was interested and puzzled. Father was a little inclined
to laugh; he said it was probably the stump of a tree, but of
course we had evidence against that in the genuine shrieks and
groans following our shots. 'Well, we must just go first thing
to-morrow,' father said, 'and look into the matter by daylight.'"

"And did you?" asked Eustace eagerly.

"Rather! I should just think we did--father, a friend of his who
was staying with us, and the two boys I had been out with. We rode,
and when we got to the spot the first thing we saw was the huge
stump of a newly-felled tree, right in the very place we had seen
the gruesome object."

Eustace whistled.

"But a tree couldn't shriek and groan," he objected.

"So _we_ said when father began minutely examining the bark; and to
our satisfaction there wasn't a single shot mark in the tree,
though we must have fired half a dozen between us. 'We can't have
seen this,' I said, feeling rather cock-a-hoopy; 'it must have been
something nearer.' We were just all puzzling our heads over the
matter when a Chinkee came running towards us from a group of huts
not very far off. He was gesticulating and making a fearful fuss.
We followed him in a fine state of excitement, and he led us to a
little low shed with a railing before it. We looked in, and there
lay two dead pigs!"

"Two dead pigs!" cried Eustace.

"Yes. It was pretty humiliating, for it just proved we had aimed at
the tree and missed it. Instead, we shot the Chinkee's inoffensive
pigs. It was many a long day before that joke was forgotten against
us. Moreover, amongst us we had to scrape a pound together to pay
the Chinaman for his loss. I never felt so small in my life."

Eustace could well appreciate the sensation after his own
experiences.

Bob took a very light view of the real visit the Orbans had had
from the black-fellow two nights before.

"He wouldn't have hurt any one," said the young fellow. "He was
nothing but a cowardly thief, or he wouldn't have behaved in the
way he did. I'm only sorry you've offered a reward for the things;
it will be an incentive to other fellows to do the same. However, I
dare say, with Robertson sleeping up here, no one will venture
again. I shouldn't worry if I were you, Mrs. Orban."

"I will try not to," Mrs. Orban answered bravely