aw its companions flying over the plains in
a cloud of dust, gave a whinny, and started after them at top speed.

Vaughan was left with feelings which were almost equally divided
between pride in his friend's achievement and envy that the adventure
had not fallen to his lot.

Sax caught up with the drover and rode neck and neck with him on the
wing of the cattle for some time before the man turned his head. When
he did so, he was very surprised.

"Hallo, young 'un!" he shouted, almost breathless at the rate they were
going. "Can you ride?"

"No," bawled Sax exultantly; "but I'm learning."

"Well, don't try and learn too much first go," came back the warning.
"There's ticklish work ahead. You watch me." And they settled down
again to give all their attention to the work in hand.

About five miles west of the town is a narrow but close belt of timber,
mostly gnarled mulga and gidgee, with here and there a sprawling
stunted creek gum. The cattle were making for this shelter. But
already the tremendous pace was beginning to tell. The bellowing had
ceased and the mob was stringing out, the stragglers no longer being
able to gallop, but lumbering along at a clumsy trot.

To Sax's surprise, a black stockman, riding in the rear of the mob,
kept these stragglers at the top of their pace. The drover gradually
forged ahead on the wing and the boy with him, till they were level
with the leaders. Then, little by little, they worked nearer and
nearer to the galloping beasts, using their whips freely and trying by
every possible means to turn the line away from the belt of timber.
They succeeded. From west the cattle turned to south, getting more and
more tired at every stride, then east, then north, and finally they
were brought up by rounding on themselves and turning in and in till
they were thoroughly exhausted and only too willing to pull up.

Sax's whole body was one big ache. It was his first ride on a bush
horse, which he found very different from the thoroughbreds he had
known. Every movement of the horse, now that the excitement was over,
was agony to him, but he sat in the saddle without flinching. Not for
the world would he have betrayed himself.

"What do we do now?" he asked the drover.

The man laughed. He admired the boy's pluck, and his keen eyes noticed
the signs of discomfort which Sax could not possibly hide. "Do?" he
asked. "Why? Haven't you done enough for a bit?"

"Oh, I'm all right