ndicoot gave a shrill squeak of
terror and fell on his knees.

'Take me watermelon,' he gasped,'but spare me life.'

'Stuff an' nonsense,' said Bill. 'We don't want your life. What we want
is some information. Have you seen a singed possum about this morning?'

'Singed possums, sir, yes sir, certainly sir,' gasped the Bandicoot,
trembling violently.

'What!' exclaimed Bill, 'do yer mean to say you have seen a singed
possum?'

'Singed possums, sir, yes sir,' gulped the Bandicoot. 'Very plentiful,
sir, this time of the year, sir, owing to the bush fires, sir.'

'Rubbish,' roared Bill. 'I don't believe he's seen a singed possum at
all.'

'No, sir,' quavered the Bandicoot. 'Certainly not, sir. Wouldn't think
of seeing singed possums if there was any objection, sir.'

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

'You're a poltroon,' shouted Bill. 'You're a slaverin', quaverin',
melon-carryin' nincompoop. There's no more chance of getting information
out of you than out of a terrified Turnip.'

Leaving the Bandicoot to pursue his quavering, melon-humping existence,
they set off again, Bill giving way to some very despondent expressions.

'As far as I can see,' he said, 'if we can't find somethin' better than
stone-deaf hedgehogs, peevish parrots, and funkin' bandicoots we may as
well give way to despair.'

Bunyip Bluegum was forced to exert his finest oratory to inspire them to
another frame of mind. 'Let it never be said,' he exclaimed, 'that the
unconquerable hearts of Puddin'-owners quailed before a parrot, a
hedgehog, or a bandicoot.'

'Let hedgehogs deaf go delve and dig,
Immune from loudest howl,
Let bandicoots lump melons big,
Let peevish parrots prowl.

'Shall puddin'-owners bow the head
At such affronts as these?
No, No! March on, by anger led,
Our Puddin' to release.

'Let courage high resolve inflame
Our captive Pud to free;
Our banner wave, our words proclaim
We march to victory!'

'Bravely sung,' exclaimed Bill, grasping Bunyip Bluegum by the hand, and
they proceeded with expressions of the greatest courage and
determination.

As a reward for this renewed activity, they got some useful information
from a Rooster who was standing at his front gate looking up and down
the road, and wishing to heaven that somebody would come along for him
to talk to. They got, in fact, a good deal more information than they
asked for, for the Rooster was one of those fine up-standi