eir living
prey. He was not sorry when George again rested on his oars to say:

"Will you land at the point this time, Nellie?"

"Yes, I think so."

"Well, here you are! We've had a pretty fastish pull over, considering."

Two or three more strokes brought them to a flight of low stone steps. By
the light of the lantern Ned and Nellie were disembarked.

"I won't keep you talking in the rain, Nellie," said George. "I'm sorry
you are going away so soon, Hawkins. We could have given you some boating
if you had time. You might come out to-morrow afternoon--that's this
afternoon--if you haven't anything better to do."

"I'm very much obliged, but I was going to meet Mr. Geisner."

"That settles it then. Anybody would sooner have a yarn with Geisner.
We'll fix some boating when you're down again. You'll come again. Won't
he, Nellie? Good-bye and a pleasant trip! Good-bye, Nellie." And having
shaken hands by dint of much arm stretching, George pushed his boat away
from the steps and pulled away.

Nellie stood for a minute watching the lantern till it turned the point,
heading eastward. Then straightening the waterproof over her dress she
took Ned's arm and they walked off.

"He's a nice sort of chap," remarked Ned, referring to George.

"Yes, he's a great oarsman. He rows over to see Josie. Mrs. Stratton
calls them Hero and Leander."

"Why? Who were they?"

"Oh! Leander was Hero's sweetheart and used to swim across the water to
her so that nobody should see him."

"They're to be married, I suppose?"

"Yes, next month."

"Those Strattons are immense--what's that noise, Nellie?" he
interrupted himself. A strange groaning from close at hand had startled
him.

"Somebody asleep, I suppose," she answered, more accustomed to the Sydney
parks. But she stopped while, under the umbrella, he struck a match with
a bushman's craft.

By the light of the match they saw a great hollow in the rocks that
bordered on one side the gravelled footway. The rocks leaned out and took
in part of the path, which widened underneath. Sheltered thus from the
rain and wind a number of men were sleeping, outcast, some in blankets,
some lying on the bare ground. The sound they had beard was a medley of
deep breathing and snoring. It was but a glimpse they caught as the match
flared up for a minute. It went out and they could see nothing, only the
faint outline of path and rock. They could hear still the moaning sound
that had attracted t