t appeared not to heed it.

"But could you show me any of them?"

"Oh yes, sir, if you wish. They want looking for, but I spend so much
time alone here in the bush that I get to know their habits. Some of
the small ones are pretty little long-legged creatures. Wonderful
jumpers too."

"And you call them all kangaroos?"

"Some people do, sir."

"Kangaroo! Why, that must be a native name."

"Haven't you heard about that, sir?"

"Heard what?"

"About their name, sir?"

"No--nothing."

"They say that when the first people met the blackfellows they asked
them what they called the leaping creatures they saw hopping along so
far on two legs, like animal grasshoppers; and the blacks said
`Kangaroo.'"

"Yes, I thought it would be a native name."

Leather smiled.

"No, sir; `kangaroo' is the blackfellows' way of saying `I don't know
what you mean.'"

"Could you show me where I could shoot one of those Blue Mountain
parrots, Leather?" said Nic, after a pause, during which the boy stood
thoughtful and wondering at his companion's change of manner.

"Oh yes, I think so, sir. There are plenty about."

"I haven't seen one for days; when I did I had no gun; and besides, I
was not ready to stuff it."

"This is not a good time of day to look after them, sir; but I dare say
you have passed plenty."

"No--not one."

Leather smiled faintly.

"They are very quiet, like most birds in the heat of the day, and are
sitting up among the leaves, huddled up and with their feathers all
loose, so that you don't see the bright underpart, and their backs and
sides are all green like the leaves. It wants practice to see them."

"When is the best time, then?"

"Early in the morning, when it is cool and fresh, and they are just off
to feed. You hear them whistling and shrieking to each other then."

"But do you think you could show me one now?"

"I'll try if you like, sir," said Leather quietly. "One of the blacks
would soon show you, but my eyes are not so well trained as theirs."

The man led on, and Nic followed on tiptoe, thinking of how different he
was, and wondering why so strong a feeling of dislike to him had sprung
up: why, too, a man of bad character and a convict should be able to
speak so well and take so much interest in the things about him.

"You need not walk so carefully, sir," he said; "and you can talk. The
birds will not fly off. They trust to their colours keeping them
hidden. These shee