e next bee I missed too, but the last showed me the way at
once. Now, then: look straight up there."

"Oh, I can see them flying in and out plainly enough," replied Nic.

"I was not talking about the bees then, sir. I mean away to the right a
little, and a good fifty feet higher."

"Don't see anything, only the sun coming through like silver rain."

"To the right of that, sir, where the leaves are thickest. Now can you
see?"

"I can see where the leaves are thickest, that's all. What am I to look
at?"

"The paroquets."

"What?" cried Nic excitedly, as he gave himself an aching sensation in
the back of the neck from the awkward position he assumed: "I can't see
anything."

"Look again, sir. They are hard to see. I can count six together, and
one which seems to be a handsome cock bird, quite by itself."

"That's the one I want," said Nic in a whisper, as he cocked his gun and
stood peering up in the part indicated, but only to have his eyes
dazzled by the rays which shot down from above.

"You see it now, sir?" said Leather quietly.

"Nor; nothing but leaves and twigs--nothing else. Are you sure you can
see the birds?"

"Yes, sir, quite. My eyes are more used to this sort of thing than
yours. I have been so much alone in the bush, often with no companions
but the sheep or the blacks."

"And are they friendly to you?"

"Oh yes; in their way, sir."

"But look here: are you really sure that you can see some of those
parrots now?"

"Certain, sir," said Leather, smiling. "Try and follow my finger.
There: now you can see them."

Nic had a long look, and then shook his head in despair.

"I'm sorry you cannot see them, sir. Would you like me to shoot that
bird for you?"

"Yes," cried Nic, holding out his gun. "No!" he said, drawing it
sharply back.

"Because you think, sir, it is a ruse on my part to get possession of
your gun and then go off as a bushranger," said Leather bitterly.

Nic coloured deeply as a girl, but he tossed up his head.

"Well," he said sharply, "that's true; I could not help thinking it."

"I suppose not," said the man sadly. And he turned away.

"You know you got hold of me out there by the precipice and talked about
dropping me over."

"Yes," said Leather, starting. "It was the act of a fool; but I felt
very bitter that day, sir."

"And how do I know that you don't feel bitter to-day?"

"Hah! How indeed!" cried the man.

Nic hesitated a moment, and then,