im a hidin' next time I ride
him, I promise you."

"Where will he go to?" said Miss Grant, looking for the vanished steed.
"Won't he run away?"

"He can't get out of the paddick," drawled the youth. "Let's go up to
the house, and get one of the boys to run him in. He had a go-in this
morning with me--the bit came out of his mouth somehow, and he did get
to work proper. He went round and round the paddick at home, with me on
him, buckin' like a brumby. Binjie had to come out with another horse
and run me back into the yard. He's a pretty clever colt, too. The
timber is tremendous thick in that paddick, and he never hit me against
anything. Binjie reckons any other colt'd have killed me. Come on up to
the house, or he'll have my saddle smashed before I get him."

As they hurried home, Miss Grant had a good look at the stranger--a
pleasant, brown-skinned brown-handed youth, with the down of a black
moustache growing on his upper lip. His frank and open face was easy to
read. He looked with boyish admiration at Miss Grant, who immediately
stooped to conquer, and began an animated conversation about nothing in
particular--a conversation which was broken in upon by one of the girls.

"Where is Binjie?" she asked. "Isn't he coming over?"

"Not he," said the youth, with an air of great certainty. We're busy
over at our place, I tell you. The water is all gone in the nine-mile
paddick. Binj an me and Andy Kelly had to muster all the sheep and shift
'em across to the home paddick. Binj is musterin' away there now. I
just rode over to see Hugh about some of your sheep that's in the river
paddick."

"Won't Binjie be over, then?" persisted Emily.

"No, of course he won't. Don't I tell you he's got three days' work
musterin' there? I must be off at daylight to-morrow, home again, or the
old man'll know the reason why."

By this time they had reached the homestead, and Poss went off with the
children to the stables. Here he secured the "knockabout" horse, always
kept saddled and bridled about the station for generally-useful work,
and set off at a swinging canter up the paddock after his own steed.
Miss Grant went in and found Mrs. Gordon at her jam-making.

"Well, and have you found anything to amuse you?" asked the old lady in
her soft, even voice.

"Oh, I've had quite a lot of experiences; and I went for a walk and met
Poss. Who is Poss?"

The old lady laughed as she gave the jam a stir. "He's a young Hunter,"
she sai