The little kangaroo rats ensconce themselves once
more in their box, and gaze out amazed from their bright little eyes.
The cockatoo hooks and clambers up to a safe place in the trellis, and
Sam, after standing thunder-struck for a moment, asks, what she wants?

"Make a light," [Note: "See"] says the old girl, in a pathetic squeak.
Further answer she makes none, but squats down outside, and begins a
petulant whine: sure sign that she has a tale of woe to unfold, and is
going to ask for something.

"Can that creature," thinks Sam, "be of the same species as the
beautiful Alice Brentwood? Surely not! There seems as much difference
between them as between an angel and an ordinary good woman." Hard to
believe, truly, Sam: but perhaps, in some of the great European cities,
or even nearer home, in some of the prison barracks, you may chance to
find a white woman or two fallen as low as that poor, starved,
ill-treated, filthy old savage!

Alice comes out once more, and brings sunshine with her. She goes up to
the old lubra with a look of divine compassion on her beautiful face;
the old woman's whine grows louder as she rocks herself to and fro.
"Yah marah, Yah boorah, Oh boora Yah! Yah Ma!"

"What! old Sally!" says the beautiful girl. "What is the matter? Have
you been getting waddy again?"

"Baal!" says she, with a petulant burst of grief.

"What is it, then?" says Alice. "Where is the gown I gave you?"

Alice had evidently vibrated the right chord. The "Yarah Moorah"
coronach was begun again; and then suddenly, as if her indignation had
burst bounds, she started off with a shrillness and rapidity
astonishing to one not accustomed to black-fellows, into something like
the following: "Oh Yah (very loud), oh Mah! Barkmaburrawurrah,
Barkmamurrahwurrah, Oh Ya Barkmanurrawah Yee (in a scream. Then a
pause). Oh Mooroo (pause). Oh hinaray (pause). Oh Barknamurrwurrah Yee!"

Alice looked as if she understood every word of it, and waited till the
poor old soul had "blown off the steam," and then asked again:

"And what has become of the gown, Sally?"

"Oh dear! Young lubra Betty (big thief that one) tear it up and stick
it along a fire. Oh, plenty cold this old woman. Oh, plenty hungry this
old woman. Oh, Yarah Moorah," &c.

"There! go round to the kitchen," said Alice, "and get something to
eat. Is it not abominable, Mr. Buckley? I cannot give anything to this
old woman but the young lubras take it from her. However, I w