arrangement for us, but how are you to find the way?"
cried Mr. Brown.

"We know every foot of land within a circle of five miles," was the
prompt response of our host; and to show that he made no idle boast, he
started towards the field of wheat which we had noticed early in the
afternoon, while we followed close at his heels as best we could, much
to the disgust of the natives, I have no doubt, for they could scarcely
restrain their impatience at the slowness of our pace.

The dogs saluted us with a mighty howl as we passed them, but a word
from their master quieted their valor, and by the time we had got clear
of the cattle pens our eyes were sufficiently accustomed to the
darkness, and were enabled to dispense with the guidance of Kala and
Iala, who gladly got at the head of the column and led the way towards
the creek, which it was stated the bushrangers would have to pass.

"Under this tree," said our host, pointing to a gum tree of gigantic
proportions, "I killed one of the largest diamond snakes that I ever
saw in the country. There used to be a nest of them near this place, but
I think that they are exterminated by this time. You recollect the
snake, do you not?" he continued, addressing the natives in their
dialect.

"We remember," was the brief reply.

"Couldn't you conveniently change the conversation?" Mr. Brown asked,
and I shared his interest in the matter, for I didn't like the topic in
so dark a night.

"Pooh! you ain't afraid of snakes, are you?" Mr. Wright asked, in a tone
that implied that he was not.

"Well, I don't care if I confess that I have seen more agreeable sights
than a d----n big, black snake, with a mouth large enough to swallow a
baby without much trouble. I don't wish to be rigid, but it strikes me
that I prefer daylight when the conversation is tending towards such
cheerful topics."

I could see that Mr. Brown was intently engaged in scanning the ground
while speaking, as though he feared there might be a few of the varmints
unkilled from the nest spoken of.

"About a mile further, gentlemen," and we felt thankful for the
information, for a more disagreeable night's tramp, so far, I had never
experienced. Still, the thoughts of the two suffering women enabled me
to keep my spirits up, and to press forward with eagerness to the point
at which we expected to relieve them.

There was no cessation to the rain, and the lightning was as vivid as
ever, but the thunder was rollin