t was
doubtful whether he would have seen the cunning black face peering from
out of the wattle scrub, watching him as he ran in and out through the
trees, and then disappearing as soon as Nic was out of sight.

The fugitive did not pause till he reached home bathed in perspiration,
just as his father rode slowly in side by side with the laden men, they
having taken a shorter cut while he had followed the wanderings of the
stream.

"Ah, Nic," cried his father, "you shouldn't run and overheat yourself
like that, boy. Now, men, carry the poor beast into the stable and rest
the pole on the rails; its hoofs will then be about five inches from the
ground.--What?"

"Blackfellows, father," said Nic, as soon as he could get his breath; "I
saw their footmarks, and they have carried off my fish."

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE.

A SQUATTER'S LIFE.

Nic's announcement caused a little panic. The three blacks who came and
went about the place were summoned and sent out searching, the house was
placed in a state of defence, and Samson, Brookes, and Leather all
furnished with guns and ammunition to stand ready for any emergency,
taking it in turns though to keep watch, while horses and cattle were
driven into the south enclosures by the house, and everything possible
done to secure their safety.

Knowing his mother's nervousness, Nic could not help staring in wonder
at the calm way in which she and her daughters behaved at what might,
for aught they could tell, be a dangerous time, for neither showed the
slightest trace of fear.

In a couple of hours, though, the black known as Bungarolo came back to
announce that, "Blackfellow all agone," and he pointed away toward the
dense bush, miles from where they were standing.

The explanation of the other two blacks when they returned cleared away
the rest of the alarm, the doctor concluding that a few of the many
wanderers had been near and gone away again, blacks probably belonging
to a friendly tribe.

Consequently the next day matters went on as usual, save that Nic had to
mount with his father, and, accompanied by two of their blacks, made a
wide circuit about the station, touching the edge of the great gorge at
one point and then riding round for miles.

Twice over the men, who trotted along easily enough step for step with
the horses, pointed out tracks going and coming; and as the party was
made out to be three only it was felt that there was no cause for alarm,
and toward