some of his coffee got into his
windpipe and he choked and coughed and laughed till he was obliged to
lie down.

"If I was to cough much like that I should break my back," he said,
sitting up and wiping his eyes. "Poor old Jimmy? I do like him. He
_is_ a one."

Jimmy stood watching the disappearing food, then he sat down. Then he
lay at full length; but no one took the slightest notice, for the blacks
were selfishly busy, and we were keeping up the punishment for the false
alarm to which our follower had subjected us.

At last this attack upon Jimmy's tenderest part--his appetite--grew to
be more than he could bear, and he sat up in the squatting attitude so
much affected by savages.

"Ah!" he exclaimed dolefully, "poor black fellow--poor Jimmy!" and this
started Jack Penny off laughing once more, which so exasperated Jimmy
that he sprang up as sharply as if stung, and ran in a rage to where his
black companions were eating their food.

"Here, hi! you black fellow, Jimmy done wid him. Jimmy gib boomerang.
You no fro down wallaby."

He held out his curious hard-wood weapon to Ti-hi, who took it, gazing
at him wonderingly, while Jimmy glanced at us to see if we were about to
relent and give him some breakfast.

"Jimmy going," he said at last, loud enough for us to hear; but we paid
no heed.

"Jimmy going; nebber come back no more," he said in a louder voice; but
no one turned a head.

"Jimmy go jump river. Big bunyip crocodile come eat poor Jimmy. All um
very sorry. No see poor Jimmy not nev more."

He glanced at us again, but we were laughing over our breakfast, though
not so busy but that we were able to see the black fold his arms and
stalk away, evidently under the impression that we should start up and
arrest him; but no one moved.

"Big water bunyip glad get black fellow," he said, as loudly as he
could, and with a scornful look at us.

"Here, suppose we go," said the doctor, rising.

"Go?" said Jack, getting up slowly, "where to?"

"To see Jimmy feed the crocodiles. Come along, lads."

Jimmy stopped short with his jaw dropped, and nearly beside himself with
rage. He seemed to be completely staggered at our cool way of taking
things, and at last he ran off like the wind, rushed back again with his
eyes flashing, and slapping his legs as he darted upon Ti-hi, waddy in
hand.

"Gib boomerang Jimmy, black tief fellow," he roared. "Take a boomerang.
Jimmy boomerang. Tief fellow tole a bo