; and I don't like
to leave the waggon for fear of a rush. Brookes!"

"Yes," came from the front.

"You must go and reconnoitre. I'll cover you as well as I can. Just
see if they are coming on."

"Don't see why you should send me," grumbled the man. "My wage ain't so
very, high, and I've only got one life. Send Leather: he is not so much
consequence as me."

The doctor uttered an angry ejaculation, and frowned fiercely; but it
was no time for angry words.

"Leather, take your gun, and try if you can make out where the blacks
are. Don't fire unless they see and attack you."

The man came with a heavy scowl upon his brow, shouldered his gun, and
walked back in among the trees, while the doctor stood patting the butt
of his gun impatiently, as his eyes searched the place in the direction
of the water-hole.

"Our black must have known these fellows were in the neighbourhood," he
said; "and he has either joined them or they have scared him away.
Joined them, I think, or he would have warned me. They are all alike,
these men: they come and work for a time, and then tire of it and go
back to the bush."

"Here comes Leather," whispered Nic; and the next moment the man came
back at a swift run, carrying his gun at the trail.

"Well? seen them?" said the doctor.

"Yes, over a score of them," said the man, who looked more animated now,
in the excitement of the danger. "They're jabbering together this side
of the water."

"Then they mean to attack. Be ready."

The man nodded, and moved toward where Brookes stood cutting himself
some tobacco to chew. Then he turned back, and there was something
approaching a smile upon his face, which, in spite of sun tan and the
deep marks on his forehead, looked almost handsome to Nic.

"Yes: what is it?" said the doctor.

"Isn't it a pity to leave the breakfast for those blacks?"

"Never mind the food, man," began the doctor; but he checked himself.
"Yes: try and get it," he said; "people must eat."

"Hold my gun, sir," said Leather, who was now, full of animation; and,
handing the piece to Nic, he dashed back to the fire, while the doctor
followed him slowly, scanning the trees in all directions as he kept his
cocked piece ready for instant use.

Leather lost no time when he reached the fire, but, catching up the
freshly made damper, he dabbed it down into the cross-handled frying-pan
on the top of the bacon, placed the tin mugs in the kettle of boiling
tea, carr