nd-hills. For a time the dust increased to such an extent that
nothing could be seen; but by the shouting and whip-cracking it was
evident that the men were having trouble.

Then a little mob of about a hundred were cut out from the others and
driven towards the water. A white man rode in front and two black boys
rode behind. To Stobart and Vaughan it looked as if the men were
taking far more care than was necessary, for they shepherded the cattle
every inch of the way. The cattle smelt the water from the distance,
and wanted to rush straight to it, but they were turned again and
again, and allowed to advance only at a slow pace. They had been ten
weeks on the road, and were so nervous at approaching the buildings of
the little town, that the least thing would make them rush away in all
directions. Once they started, nothing could stop them, and the result
of all those weeks of constant care might go for nothing. So the
stockmen took no chances.

The cattle watered quietly, and when they had had enough, they were
taken a little distance away and left in charge of the two black boys.
Then the white man returned and cut off another hundred, and watered
them in the same way, till every one in the huge mob of wild cattle had
had a drink without being disturbed.

Then came what the drover had called "a bit of fun". The cattle were
slowly moved towards the great trucking-yards.

"Let's go over to the troughs as he said," suggested Vaughan. "It's
lots nearer than this." So the two friends took up their position
behind the big tank into which the water from the bore poured before it
flowed into the troughs.

The Oodnadatta trucking-yards are made of iron rails set in concrete
and are capable of holding more than a thousand head of stock. Once
the cattle are in, nothing matters, for the yards are strong enough to
hold elephants. But the job is to get them in.

Inch by inch the grumbling mass of irritable beasts was urged forward
by the white drover and his boys. It was a ticklish job, and the whips
were kept quiet at first, except to flick up one or another which tried
to poke out of the mob. All went well till the leading cattle came to
the wing of the yard. Those iron rails frightened them. They had only
seen a yard once before in their lives, and the rails of that one were
made of wood.

"Steady, boys! Steady!" called the drover. "Keep 'em quiet a bit."

For a minute or two the stockmen sat back on