ushes.

Toward these he was creeping, when he started round with a quick jump,
for some one had spoken.

"Are you looking for me, sir?"

There stood Leather bending over a sheep, whose fleece he was relieving
of a strange growth of burrs and prickly, brambly strands with which the
creature was tangled.

"No," said Nic, as soon as he had recovered from his surprise. "I did
not know you were this way. What are you doing?"

"Shepherding, sir," said the man, with a sad, weary-looking smile, which
half fascinated Nic, and he stared at one who seemed to be quite a
different man. "The poor brutes get terribly tangled by these wild
growths, and sheep are not very wise, sir. They're poor, helpless sort
of creatures. As soon as they are helped out of one difficulty they get
into another."

"Yes, I suppose so," said Nic, speaking as if he thoroughly understood
sheep; though his knowledge of the popular old useful animal consisted
in the facts that when they were young they were lambs, that they grew
wool, and that when they were killed they became mutton.

They have so many diseases, too, sir, and so many enemies.

"What, the dingoes?" said Nic.

"Yes, they play the part of the wolf in Europe. It's astonishing how
they have overrun the country."

Nic stared again, but averted his eyes for fear the man should notice
it. This did not seem the Leather he had seen so much of on his way
home and since.

"Are there no wolves, then, here?" he asked.

"No, sir, fortunately for the squatters; and it's a pity they introduced
these dogs."

"They? Who did?"

"Impossible to say, sir. The captain of some ship, I suppose--perhaps
of more than one ship; and they increased and multiplied till they run
wild all over the land."

"Oh no; surely they must always have been here?" said Nic.

Leather shook his head.

"This is a land of surprises, sir," he said quietly. "There were hardly
any, if any, animals here but the kangaroos and the like, when the place
was first settled. Haven't you read all this?"

"No," said Nic; "I have only just left school. But there doesn't seem
to be many even of them."

"Millions," said Leather, smiling, "if you know where to look for them."

"But I haven't seen one since I left home this morning."

"And perhaps passed dozens, sir, from large ones, bigger than I am, down
to the kangaroo rats and mice, not much bigger than those at--in
England."

Nic noticed the man's hesitation, bu