ot
an article of clothing had he on, with the exception of the very small
kilt which he wore round his waist.

I joined Mudge, and went on ahead with him, close behind our guide, the
other men following, and carrying the coil of rope between them.

"I can't fancy that the children could have got so far round the coast
as the point we shall reach if we continue on as we are going," I
observed to him.

"As the tide was low and the sand smooth, they were probably tempted to
go on without considering how far they had got," said Mudge. "I am
surprised, however, that your sister Edith should have ventured, and not
recollected that the tide would again rise, and that they would not be
able to repass many of the places they had previously got over without
difficulty. Still, I feel sure that they did go forward, and that the
black knows where they are."

His remarks somewhat cheered me. We went on and on; and it seemed to me
that we must be near the part of the cliff over which the bushranger had
fallen. We discussed the probable cause of his death.

"At all events, horrible as was his death, it was better than dying of
starvation, as is the fate, I fancy, of a large proportion of the
convicts who take to the bush," observed Mudge; "though dreadful must be
the fate of his companion, who is now doomed to wander alone through
these wilds, without daring to hold any intercourse with white men for
fear of being betrayed; and, probably, equally dreading the blacks, who,
if he were to be found unprepared, would speedily put him to death."

We went on for nearly two miles, when we reached a fissure in the
cliffs, the ground sloping on either side towards it. The black
advanced cautiously; and following him, we found ourselves on the edge
of the cliff, which appeared to hang over the water. We descended the
slope I have mentioned, till we reached a broad ledge, about a quarter
of the way down. Signing to the men to uncoil the rope, the end of
which he allowed to fall over till it apparently reached the bottom, he
now by gestures inquired which of us was ready to descend.

"We must first secure the upper end, my friend," observed Mudge; a
matter the black did not appear to have considered.

Each of us had fortunately brought a stout staff to serve us as a
walking-stick; by forcing these together into the ground, we formed a
post of sufficient strength round which to secure the rope, one man in
addition holding on to it.