be a
big one or he wouldn't have frightened Gyp, who'll tackle old man
kangaroos six-foot high. You can go if you like, though."

This was a long speech for Jack Penny, who rubbed one of his ears in an
ill-used way.

"Jimmy, black fellow 'fraid um bunyip; oh, yes!" said my follower; "but
Jimmy no run away."

"We shall not leave you alone, Penny," said the doctor, smiling. "It
would not be fair."

So we stayed with him till day broke, and not having heard the slightest
sound to intimate the neighbourhood of danger, and the dog lying quite
still and content by his master, the doctor and I went to get a couple
of hours' rest, just as the forest glades were beginning to echo with
the screaming of birds of the parrot family, Jimmy bending over me and
poking me with the butt end of his spear, almost directly, so it seemed
to me, that I had lain down.

"Jimmy hungry," he said; "gimmy damper--brackfass. Come long."

"Did you hear the bunyip any more, Jimmy?" I said, yawning.

"No. Bunyip go sleep all a morning--all a day! Come a night.
How-wow!"

He put his head on one side and gave so marvellous an imitation of the
terrible cries I had heard during the night that I felt sure he must
know the creature.

"What is it makes that noise, Jimmy?" I said eagerly.

"Bunyip--big ugly fellow bunyip!" he exclaimed; and I felt so cross and
annoyed with his eternal bunyip that I was ready to kick him; but I
refrained, and went instead to the fire, where the doctor was waiting
breakfast, after sending Jimmy to wake me up.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN.

HOW JACK PENNY WAS PERSECUTED BY PIGS.

I have often thought since what a wild journey ours was, and how
ignorant we must have been to plunge recklessly and in such a haphazard
way into a country that, though an island, is a long way on towards
being large enough to be called a continent.

Still we made the venture, and somehow as soon as a peril was passed we
all looked upon it as belonging to yesterday, and troubled ourselves
about it no more.

I had risen on the morning after our nocturnal adventure feeling
despondent and sleepy; but the bright sunshine and the tempting odour of
roasting bird stuck on a stick close to the flame, soon made me forget
the troubles of the night, and an hour later, with every one in the best
of spirits, we made a fresh start, keeping near the river, but beneath
the shade of the trees, for the sun seemed to be showering down burning
arrows, an