mines from Melbourne, and I could not help,
in spite of all the trials and difficulties that surrounded me, from
recalling those days, and wondering how we escaped being cut off to a
man by Black Darnley and his gang.

"Drive on the horses as fast as possible," whispered the shepherd.

"Them 'ere parrot crawings means, is the coast clear?"

I needed no urging, knowing as I did that the pretended squaking of
parrots was produced by human beings, but hardly had the shepherd
spoken, when away off to our left the cry was taken up.

"That's an answer," cried Day, listening attentively. "They report all
right as yet."

By this time we had reached the bridge, and sought to urge our animals
to cross, but they had some experience with the bogs of Australia, and
stoutly refused to trust themselves on such a narrow strip of earth. We
were almost in despair of saving the brutes, and to add to our anxiety,
we could hear the bushrangers' signals from all parts of the forest, as
the scouts gradually closed in to join the main body, who were, I
doubted not, feasting on mutton, for the perfume of boiled meat greeted
us, wafted towards the island by a light breeze which was hardly strong
enough to dispel the clouds of mosquitoes hovering over us, ferocious
for blood, and tantalizing enough to drive men frantic with agony.

"You won't get the horses to cross until you cover their eyes," the
ghost said. "They have probably been mired some time or other, and know
a bog as well as you. Don't waste precious time by fooling with the
animals."

We thought the advice was good, and we adopted it without delay, by
tying our pocket handkerchiefs over the eyes of the animals, and in this
condition I led my horse over the bridge, followed by Mr. Brown with the
packed animal The ghost, having removed his head gear, held the gray
while we were so employed.

We were obliged to proceed with great caution, for fear of a mis-step on
the part of the animals, but fortunately we reached the island without
an accident, but as we did so we heard a shrill croak from beneath the
very palms where we had encamped. The call was repeated in a dozen
different directions, and then all was quiet, and not the rustling of a
leaf could be heard to show that a large body of men were all tending to
one point to investigate the cause of the alarm, and study over the
mysteries of our encampment.

We secured our animals in a small valley at the further end of the
is