they that even Tyrell, who had made his boast of being able to endure
all things, gradually retreated as he saw the ghost advance towards him
with the flaming headdress, and at length, after giving one quick glance
around, and finding that he was deserted by his crew, fairly turned, and
bounded into the brush and disappeared from sight.

We listened attentively, and could hear the bushrangers making their way
through the woods in hot haste; but fearing the shrewdness of Sam, we
kept perfectly quiet, until we were certain that gentleman had really
left his quarters, and was not lurking in the vicinity to see what sort
of a ghost had frightened him.

"A splendid performance," I said, as Mr. Brown and myself stepped from
our ambush, and congratulated the shepherd, who, much as he liked to be
praised, didn't think it worth while to listen in so conspicuous a
place.

"Follow me as fast as possible," he exclaimed, removing his still
smoking headdress, and exhibiting a face blackened and singed by the
flames. "We ain't safe here even for a minute, for the devils will come
back after their traps, and if they should get hold of us we would be
real ghosts in less than an hour."

I had the same impression, and therefore followed our guide through the
woods in a directly opposite course from that which the bushrangers
took, and in a few minutes we had the satisfaction of gaining our island
and finding our horses as we had left them.

"Now that we are beyond the reach of the robbers, tell me how you
prepared your fiery headdress?" Mr. Brown asked, turning to the
shepherd, who was rubbing his burnt face and singed hair and whiskers.

"The fact is," replied Day, "the flames are a new sort of 'speriment,
and I've hardly got use to 'em. I think that I should do better next
time. I have every reason to think so, and if I don't, I shall be forced
to give up that portion of the show, although I should think that it
was very effective, if I may judge from the remarkable antics of the
coveys. That black-whiskered scoundrel wanted to have a shot at me, and
I guess that he would hadn't it been for the fire. The flames are a
great improvement, 'cos they make me look jist as though I had arrived
from kingdom come."

"But how was the effect produced?" demanded Mr. Brown.

"Well, I don't know as I had ought to tell you coveys, 'cos you might
claim the 'vention as your own," replied the shepherd, coquettishly; but
finding that we were rea