ostrate black a
sharp rap on the head with his waddy.

"Jimmy!" I said; "you'll kill him!"

"Kill him! No, makum sleep, sleep. Come 'long."

He went off at a sharp walk and I followed, glancing back anxiously from
time to time and listening, till we reached the spot where he had set
down his burden, just as the doctor came back, having missed me, and
being in dread lest I had lost my way.

I did not speak--I could not, but threw myself on my knees beside the
strange, long-haired, thickly-bearded figure seated with its back
against a tree, while the doctor drew back as soon as he realised that
it was my father the black had saved.

CHAPTER FORTY ONE.

HOW JIMMY HEARD THE BUNYIP SPEAK, AND IT ALL PROVED TO BE "BIG 'TUFF."

I Need not recount what passed just then. But few words were spoken,
and there was no time for displays of affection. One black had seen and
pursued Jimmy, and others might be on our track, so that our work was
far from being half done even now.

"Can you walk, sir?" said the doctor sharply.

My poor father raised his face toward the speaker and uttered some
incoherent words.

"No, no; he has been kept bound by the ankles till the use of his feet
has gone," said Mr Francis, who had remained silent up to now.

"Can't walk--Jimmy carry um," said the black in a whisper. "Don't make
noise--hear um black fellow."

"You are tired," said the doctor; "let me take a turn."

Jimmy made no objection, but bore the gun, while the doctor carried my
father slowly and steadily on for some distance; then the black took a
turn and bore him right to the place where our black followers were
waiting, and where Jack Penny was anxiously expecting our return.

"I thought you wasn't coming back," he said as Jimmy set down the
burden; and then in a doleful voice he continued, "I couldn't do that,
my back's so weak."

But Ti-hi and his friends saw our difficulty, and cut down a couple of
long stout bamboos whose tops were soon cleared of leaves and shoots.
Two holes were made in the bottom of a light sack whose contents were
otherwise distributed, the poles thrust through, and my poor father
gently laid upon the sack. Four of us then went to the ends of the
poles, which were placed upon our shoulders, and keeping step as well as
we could, we went slowly and steadily on, Mr Francis taking the lead
and acting as guide.

Our progress was very slow, but we journeyed steadily on hour after
hour, taking