f mutton,
in which case I should have tacked your bodies with a ball from my gun.
I followed you a few steps, and then crossed your trail, skirted Mount
Tarrengower, and from the summit of a gum tree I watched your motions
until dark, when I stole towards your camp for the purpose of listening
to your conversation. I heard 'enough to convince me that you were in
search of hidden treasure, but before I could make out your plans you
moved your camp to the Lodden, but left your pack behind, for which act
of thoughtfulness I am much your debtor."

"And to defeat our plans you turned ghost," I said.

The red-haired genius chuckled as he answered,--

"I thought that the easiest way to get rid of you, for I have tried the
character before with some success. Many a bushranger, anxious for a
supper of fresh mutton, have I frightened into fits, and by that means
my flocks are not molested near as much as my neighbors, ten or twelve
miles from here. I like to play the ghost, too, for it reminds me of the
time when I was living with plenty of half and half, and lots of 'bacco
at my control. Wasn't my groans beautiful? People say that they is quite
unearthly."

We felt ashamed to say that we considered them in that light, and
therefore dropped the subject, although we encouraged him to relate the
further history of his exploits.

"I got my sheepskins all ready during the day, 'cos I saw that you was
idling round doing nothing, and I 'spected that the evening would be
selected to begin work.

"I hunted up my old bullock's head, with the horns on, and which has
seen some service, although I don't think that I shall be able to wear
it again, 'cos your confounded pistol shot about used it up. Here it
lays at your feet--examine it."

I found that the head had been cut and trimmed off, and then lined with
pieces of old clothes, until it fitted the cranium of Day like a huge
helmet.

The shot from my revolver had shattered the dry bones so that it was
ready to tumble apart, and had to be handled quite carefully. I no
longer wondered at our mistaking Day for the devil, and I congratulated
myself that I was not frightened worse than I really was.

"I could hardly keep from yelling with laughter when I saw you two
running, and then when I heard one of you tumble into the bog, I thought
to myself that's an end of him. Now, Day, you jist go along and get the
money that they expected to, and be a rich man for life."

"Then you knew