Sung in the leaves; the forest rock'd around,
Air blackened,--rolled the thunder,--groan'd the ground."

DRYDEN.

Early on the following morning, John and William prepared to resume
their journey; and, upon a settlement of their reckoning with their
host, they were not a little surprised and annoyed to find a
considerable item in their bill set down for the damage caused by the
previous night's debauch. This exaction they resisted, but to no
purpose. The landlord was no respecter of persons, and was inexorable in
his demands; they were present during the scene, and consequently, in
his eyes, implicated and liable to pay for their pleasure. Besides
which, he intended to reap a rich harvest from the event, and charge the
same to each party staying in his house; notwithstanding that the sum
apportioned to each individual was ample to indemnify him for any loss
he had sustained. Not being in the habit, however, of having his demands
called into question, he was not in this case inclined to relinquish his
intention of enforcing the payment; and the brothers were therefore
constrained to submit to the extortion.

The shortest though more intricate route to Brompton, the station of Mr.
Smithers, was through the bush, following a line described to them by an
old shepherd of their father's who well knew that part of the country;
and, being experienced bushmen themselves, they determined upon taking
that course in preference to the more circuitous, though better defined,
dray road and townships. With this intention, provided with a
descriptive sketch of the country, a pocket compass, and the sagacity
and instinct of their black boy, they started for Barra Warra, a station
distant about fifty miles; which was centrally situated, and from whence
there was a postman's track to Brompton. To reach this point before
dark, it was necessary to push on; as, should they not complete their
distance in daylight, it would necessitate the alternative of spending a
night in the bush; a circumstance, which, though not likely to cause any
uneasiness to a bushman, was, in the possibility of obtaining
comfortable quarters, as well to be avoided.

Nothing of any note occurred in the ride, until well on in the
afternoon; when they began to detect signs of their approach to an
extensive station, and expected shortly to witness symptoms of animation
and habitation. The weather during t