ns took our horses, which they turned into a small paddock
containing a shed at one end to afford shelter to the animals.

We then entered the house, where we were introduced to the hostess, a
tall lady, somewhat sallow and careworn, but with considerable animation
in her manner. We were next made known to three young ladies, two of
whom we understood were Misses Strong and a third Clara Mayne, a friend;
besides these there were three young children. In a short time, two
tall lads, sunburnt, and sinewy, made their appearance with stock whips
in their hands and broad-brimmed hats on their heads.

"You have not seen them all yet," observed our hostess.

Two more young men came in, one somewhat older than Guy, the other about
my own age, and I found that they also were cousins. Altogether a
goodly company sat down to the evening meal. We all waited on
ourselves, there being no female helps in the household.

A rattling conversation was kept up, the young men describing to their
father the events of the day, while we had to give an account of our
adventures from the time of our landing. They were all highly
interested in hearing of Bracewell being stuck up by bushrangers and how
we had rescued him.

"We must put a stop to the career of those gentlemen," observed Mr
Strong. "We have heard before this of their doings, and I have even
considered it prudent not to leave the ladies alone in the house without
two or three men as guards; a most abominable inconvenience, and yet,
from knowing the atrocities of which they are capable, I consider it
absolutely necessary."

The blacks, he said, had also been troublesome. A large mob who had
been wandering about in that part of the country, might, he thought it
possible, take it into their heads, to pay the station a visit; though
it was not likely that they would do harm should they find his people
prepared for them.

After a pleasant evening, we were shown to the room we were to occupy in
one of the other sheds where three of our cousins also slept. One of
the elder ones was called in the night to mount guard, and we found that
a watch was regularly kept in case either bushrangers or blacks should
make their appearance.

Next morning our cousins invited us to accompany them to drive in
another mob of cattle for the purpose of mustering and branding the
calves. We proposed riding our own horses, but they laughed at the
notion.

"You'd get run down to a certainty,"