he words of a familiar old prayer
when my eyes fell upon the surface of the water, and I felt as if I
could not breathe.

The next minute Gyp was barking furiously, as he stood upon his hind
legs resting his paws upon his master's shoulders, and Jimmy gave a loud
shout.

"All a water run away, juss fass now," and as he spoke it fell a couple
of inches, then a couple more, so swiftly, indeed, that the terrible
pressure that held us tightly against the stones was taken off pound by
pound, and before we could realise the truth the water was at my knees.

Ten minutes later it was at my feet, and before half an hour had passed
we were standing in the glorious sunshine with the rocky ledge drying
fast, while the river, minute by minute, was going down, so that we felt
sure if no storm came to renew the flood it would be at its old level in
a couple of hours' time.

We were dripping and numbed by the icy water; but in that fierce
sunshine it was wonderful how soon our wrung-out garments dried; and
warmth was rapidly restored to our limbs by rocks that soon grew heated
in the torrid rays.

"Big bunyip got no more water. All gone dis time," said Jimmy calmly.
"Poor black fellows tink go die. No die Jimmy. Lots a do find um fader
all over big country. Water all gone, Jimmy cunning--artful, not mean
die dis time. Bunyip not got 'nuff water. Give Jimmy something eat.
Ready eat half sheep and damper. Give Jimmy some eat."

We all wanted something to eat, and eagerly set to work, but soaking
damper was not a very sumptuous repast; still we feasted as eagerly as
if it had been the most delicious food, and all the time the water kept
going down.

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR.

HOW THE DOCTOR TOOK ME IN HAND.

It is surprising how elastic the mind is in young people, and my
experience has shown me that there is a great deal of resemblance
between the minds of savages and those of the young.

In this case we had all been, I may say, in a state of the most terrible
despair one hour. The next, our black companions were laughing and
chattering over their wet damper, and Jimmy was hopping about in the
highest of glee, while I must confess to a singular feeling of
exhilaration which I showed in company with Jack Penny, who, after
resuming his garments, seemed to have been seized with the idea that the
proper thing to do was to go round from one to another administering
friendly slaps on the shoulder accompanied by nods and smi