're wanted, or maybe we shall be having mischief done."

"What do you mean?"

"Mean, sir? As Brooky's always going about with a gun, and on the
watch. He don't want a gun to go and look round o' they cows. He feels
as Leather's close handy somewhere, and afraid he'll take him unawares.
If you was to ask him, he'd tell you he was sure the blacks knew where
Leather's hiding. There, I'm sorry for him after all."

"So am I, poor fellow."

"Nay, I don't mean Leather: I mean Brooky. He can't even sleep of a
night for fear Leather should come and pay him out. It sarves him
right, I know, for he always was a brute to Leather; but there, he's
being paid back pretty severe. You go and talk to them there black
boys. You'll get it out of them with that jam."

Nic strode across toward the wool-shed, and found the blacks jabbering
away hard, and evidently quite excited; but they heard his steps, and
three rough black heads came softly into sight, one round each doorpost,
and the other above a couple of broad boards which ran in grooves, used
to keep pigs or other animals from entering to make a warm bed in the
wool. But the moment they caught sight of their young master they
disappeared, the middle man going off cart-wheel fashion, like a black
firework, with arms and legs flying, so as to get behind a stack of
wool.

"Here, you fellows," cried Nic, looking over the board, "come here!"

"Baal go floggee blackfellow," protested Bungarolo.

"No mine no flog," cried Nic.

"Mas Nic corbon budgery (very good). All come along."

This brought out the other two grinning.

"Mine come fish?" cried Damper.

"No; I want to find Leather fellow. You boys pidney where he is."

The faces ceased grinning, and looked as if carved out of some burned
wooden stump, all hard, solid, and immovable.

"There, I know: so no nonsense. You all take me and show me Leather
fellow's mandowie, and I'll give you plenty damper, plenty mutton,
plenty sugar and jam."

"Mine no find mandowie (tracks)," said Rigar. "You pidney (know),
Damper?"

"Mine no pidney," said Damper. "Mandowie myall. Bungarolo pidney?"

"Bung no pidney," said that gentleman.

"Yes, you all pidney--more sugar, more jam, more damper," cried Nic.

But the men only stared blankly; and growing impatient at last with the
three ebony blacks, Nic left them to go back to Sam, but turned sharply,
to see that they were all three watching him with their faces in a broad