nt the drover looked at the boy with keen eyes from which
nothing could be hidden. They were light-grey eyes, set well apart,
and absolutely fearless. He caught and held Sax's glance and seemed to
be reading the boy's character. He evidently approved of what he saw,
for he held out his hand, which Stobart took at once.

"So you're Boss Stobart's son," he said. "I'm sure glad to meet you.
My name's Darby. Mick Darby. Me and your father were mates for close
on ten years. You came up to meet him, did you?"

Sax told him a little about the school, and how he and Vaughan had come
up to Oodnadatta expecting to meet the drover, and how disappointed
they were. He did not mention the mysterious message; but when Mick
Darby asked what the boys intended doing, Sax answered promptly that
they were looking for a job, as Boss Stobart had sent a note advising
them to do this.

"He's likely changed his plans," said Darby, "and can't come down for a
bit. What sort of a job d'you want?"

By this time Vaughan had come up, and the three whites were sitting
near an open pack-bag, eating damper and salt meat, and drinking tea
from the drover's quart-pot. To his question as to what sort of job
they wanted, there seemed but one reply. Sax's mouth was full at the
time, so Vaughan answered:

"This sort, of course."

Mick smiled at the boy's enthusiasm, and asked: "Can you ride too?"
The word "too" pleased Sax immensely, but it stirred his friend to
answer, somewhat boastfully:

"I can ride as well as he can--can't I, Sax?"

"You're better than I am," said Sax generously. "He is indeed, Mr.
Darby."

"Well, we'll see. I shan't be starting back till the day after
to-morrow. What d'you say to a riding test?" he asked, laughing.

The boys were willing to agree to anything, especially as the station
to which Mick was returning was out towards the Musgrave Ranges. "It's
sure a rough place," said Mick, when he had agreed to take the boys.
"It's out on the edge of cattle country, the Musgraves west of us, and
niggers--bad niggers, too. You'll wish you'd never come." He looked
at the eager faces of the two lads and his own suffused with thoughts
of the days when he was their age. He remembered all the hard years
between, the trips on which he had only just come through alive, the
terrors of thirst, the slow torment of being out of tucker, the scraps
with blacks, the dreary homeless monotony of the desert, and he said
earnest