ay from the object of their
dread. The party pulled up for the black, who came running up. "No
good people," he said, in a low voice; "come here, do bad."

The Gilpins, hearing his remarks, endeavoured to discover the reason of
his supposing that the party of natives they had just passed were badly
disposed, but could elicit no further information from him. It was more
than an hour after this that a glimmering light appeared ahead, which
Murra, the guide, assured them must proceed from the station. It
appeared to be somewhat above them on the hillside, and they soon
afterwards found themselves ascending slightly towards it. They had not
got far, however, before several large dogs flew out, barking furiously,
towards them. They and Larry shouted loudly to the hut-keeper to call
the animals off, but no one appeared, and, the dogs contenting
themselves with barking, they proceeded on to the hut, from the window
of which the light gleamed out. The dogs, still loudly barking, at
length roused up a couple of rough-looking men, who staggered out of the
door, and, one of them holding a lamp, stared stupidly at the
travellers, at the same time that, with loud oaths, he shouted to the
dogs to be quiet.

"Oh! you are strangers," said the least tipsy; "well, you shall have a
stranger's welcome in the bush; and so you may just go and turn out your
horses, and then come and get what you can inside."

"We've come to take charge of the station," said James, rather nettled;
"so, my men, I rather think that it is your duty to see and make
yourselves useful to us."

"Ho! ho! Pretty sort of masters you'd make over us!" cried the man,
holding up the light in their faces. "To my mind, you'd better go back
to them that sent you."

This was even a worse reception than they had expected; but, perceiving
that the man was very drunk, they saw that it would not be wise to
irritate him.

"Well, my man," said James, calmly, "we have pushed on here in the hopes
of being welcomed, but all we will ask now is a supper and a night's
rest."

"As you speak us fair, we'll treat you fair, whoever you may be," said
the man. "Come in; the kettle is boiling, and there's a damper or two
ready under the ashes."

The cart having been placed close to the hut, the horses were
unharnessed and unsaddled and turned out to pick up their supper, and
the whole party were soon collected in the hut. The interior showed
evident signs of a late debauch.