"Yes."

"You were stupid. Why, they might have speared you."

"Yes; but being a sentry, Tim thought we ought to search the trees and see, and being so brave we went to search the place."

He was pouring out some tea in the mug as he said the above, and his brother looked at him curiously.

"You're both so what?" cried Man, with a mocking laugh. "Why, I'll be bound to say--" _glug_, _glug_, _glug_, _glug_--"Oh, I was so thirsty.

That was good," he sighed holding out the mug for more.

"What are you bound to say?" said Rifle, refilling the mug.

"That you both of you never felt so frightened before in your life.

Come now, didn't you?"

"Well, I did feel a bit uneasy," said Rifle, importantly; but he avoided his brother's eye.

"Uneasy, eh?" said Man; "well, I call it frightened."

"You would have been if it had been you."

"Of course I should," replied Man. "I should have run for camp like a shot."

Rifle looked at him curiously.

"No; you wouldn't," he said.

"Oh, shouldn't I. Catch me stopping to let the blacks make a target of me. I should have run as hard as I could."

"That's what I thought," said Rifle, after a pause; "but I couldn't turn. I was too much frightened."

"What, did your knees feel all shivery-wiggle?"

"No; it wasn't that. I was afraid of Tim thinking I was a coward, and so I went on with him, and found it was only a black c.o.c.katoo that had frightened him, but I was glad when it was all over. You'd have done the same, Man."

"Would I?" said the lad, dubiously. "I don't know. Aren't you going to have a drop yourself?"

Rifle poured the remains of the tea into the mug, and gave it a twist round.

"I say," he said, to change the conversation, which was not pleasant to him, "as soon as we get settled down at the farm, I shall vote for our having milk with our tea."

"Cream," cried Man. "I'm tired of ship tea and nothing in it but sugar.

Hist! look there."

His brother swung round and followed the direction of Man's pointing finger, to where in the distance they could see some animals feeding among the gra.s.s.

"Rabbits!" cried the boy eagerly.

"Nonsense!" said Man; "they're too big. Who ever saw rabbits that size?"

"Well, hares then," said Rifle, excitedly. "I say, why not shoot one?"

Norman made no answer, but stood watching the animals as, with long ears erect, they loped about among the long gra.s.s, taking a bite here and a bite there.

Just then a shrill whistle came from the camp, and at the sound the animals sat up, and then in a party of about a dozen, went bounding over the tall gra.s.s and bushes at a rapid rate, which kept the boys watching them, till they caught sight of Tim making for the party beneath the tree, packing up, and preparing to continue the journey.

"Now, boys, saddle up," cried the captain. "See the kangaroos?"

"Of course, cried Norman; we ought to have known, but the gra.s.s hid their legs. I thought their ears were not long enough for rabbits."

"Rabbits six feet high!" said the captain, smiling.

"Six what, father?" cried Norman.

"Feet high," said the captain; "some of the males are, when they sit up on their hind-legs, and people say that they are sometimes dangerous when hunted. I daresay we shall know more about them by-and-by.--What made you go forward, Tim, when Rifle came to you--to look at the kangaroos?"

"No, uncle; I thought I saw blacks amongst the bushes."

"Well, next time, don't advance, but retire. They are clever with their spears, and I don't want you to be hit."

He turned quickly, for he heard a sharp drawing of the breath behind him, and there was Mrs Bedford, with a look of agony on her face, for she had heard every word.

"But the blacks will not meddle with us if we do not meddle with them,"

he continued quickly; though he was conscious that his words had not convinced his wife.

He went close up to her.

"Come," he whispered, "is this being brave and setting the boys a good example?"

"I am trying, dear," she whispered back, "so hard you cannot tell."

"Yes, I can," he replied tenderly; "I know all you suffer, but try and be stout-hearted. Some one must act as a pioneer in a new country. I am trying to be one, and I want your help. Don't discourage me by being faint-hearted about trifles, and fancying dangers that may never come."

Mrs Bedford pressed her husband's hand, and half an hour later, and all in the same order, the little caravan was once more in motion, slowly but very surely, the country growing still more beautiful, and all feeling, when they halted in a beautiful glade that evening, and in the midst of quite a little scene of excitement the new tent was put up for the first time, that they had entered into possession of a new Eden, where all was to be happiness and peace.

A fire was soon lit, and mutton steaks being frizzled, water was fetched; the cattle driven to the river, and then to pasture, after the wagons and carts had been disposed in a square about the tent. Then a delicious meal was eaten, watch set, and the tired travellers watched the creeping on of the dark shadows, till all the woodland about them was intensely black, and the sky seemed to be one blaze of stars glittering like diamonds, or the sea-path leading up to the moon.

It had been decided that all would go to rest in good time, so that they might breakfast at dawn, and get well on in the morning before the sun grew hot; but the night was so balmy, and everything so peaceful and new, that the time went on, and no one stirred.

The fire had been made up so that it might smoulder all through the night, and the great kettle had been filled and placed over it ready for the morning; and then they all sat upon box, basket, and rug spread upon the gra.s.s, talking in a low voice, listening to the _crop_, _crop_ of the cattle, and watching the stars or the trees lit up now and then by the flickering flames of the wood fire; till all at once, unasked, as if moved by the rippling stream hard by, Ida began to sing in a low voice the beautiful old melody of "Flow on, thou Shining River," and Hester took up the second part of the duet till about half through, the music sounding wonderfully sweet and solemn out in those primeval groves, when suddenly Hester ceased singing, and sat with lips apart gazing straight before her.

"Hetty," cried Ida, ceasing, "what is it?" Then, as if she had caught sight of that which had checked her Cousin's singing, she uttered a wild and piercing shriek, and the men and boys sprang to their feet, the captain making a dash for the nearest gun.

CHAPTER FOUR.

"WHITE MARY 'GIN TO SING."