re.

Then in despair he tried a new plan. He quietly got the three blacks
together and explained to them what he wanted, and rode behind them in
high glee as they trotted on, spear in hand.

"What a stupid I was not to think of this before!" he said to himself;
full of confidence. But that night he rode back low-spirited and dull.
The blacks had shown him holes in trees, out of which they chopped
opossums; the lairs of kangaroos; the pool where a couple of egg-laying,
duck-billed platypi dwelled; and trees bearing a kind of plum, and
others with nuts: but no signs of Leather.

He tried the next day, and at another time would have been fascinated by
the unusual-looking objects the blacks pointed out; but now he wanted to
find the convict, and everything else was as nothing; for he felt
certain that if the party came over from Port Jackson, the result would
be that Leather would be hunted out, refuse to surrender, and be shot
down.

But the trips with the blacks all proved to be dismal failures.

Oh yes, they understood.

"Plenty come along find Leather. Corbon budgery. My word, come along."

But they found him not; and when bullied, they smiled, looked stupid, or
shook their heads.

"It's because they won't find him, Master Nic. They know all the time,"
said old Sam.

Acting upon this idea, Nic attacked the three blacks separately, telling
them he was sure they knew where Leather was in hiding, and insisting
upon being told; but the only result he obtained in each case was a
stare of surprise and puzzlement. The man's face puckered up, and at
last he mumbled out:

"No pidney (understand). Mine no take Leather fellow in myall. Mine no
been see it mandowie (tracks)."

"Be off!" said Nic; and the others talked in a similar way, and went
"off;" looking the quintessence of stupidity.

"You're all wrong, Sam," said Nic, the next time he ran against the old
man.

"What about, sir--them calves?"

"No, no--about the blacks. I questioned each of them, and they were all
as stupid as could be."

"No, I ain't wrong, sir. You get 'em all three together, and promise
'em plenty of damper, some sugar, and a pot each of your ma's jam; then
you'll see."

"I'll soon do that," said Nic. "They're in the wool-shed."

"But Brooky's there, sir."

"No, I saw him go off toward the fern gully an hour ago, with a gun upon
his shoulder."

"Look here, sir. You'd better lock up all the guns, and keep 'em till
they