track they were following were seen four men busily engaged in making
arrangements to encamp for the night.

It need scarcely be said that these were our friends Paul Bevan, Fred
Westly, Flinders, and the botanist.

The moment that these caught sight of the approaching party they sprang
to their arms, which of course lay handy, for in those regions, at the
time we write of, the law of might was in the ascendant. The appearance
and conduct of Unaco, however, deceived them, for that wily savage
advanced towards them with an air of confidence and candour which went
far to remove suspicion, and when, on drawing nearer, he threw down his
knife and tomahawk, and held up his empty hands, their suspicions were
entirely dispelled.

"They're not likely to be onfriendly," observed Flinders, "for there's
only five o' them altogither, an' wan o' them's only a bit of a boy an'
another looks uncommon like a wo--"

He had got thus far when he was checked by Paul Bevan's exclaiming, with
a look of intense surprise, "Why, that's Betty!--or her ghost!"

Flinders's astonishment was too profound to escape in many words. He
only gave vent to, "Musha! there's Tolly!" and let his lower jaw drop.

"Yes, it's me an' the Beautiful Nugget" cried Tolly, jumping off the
pony and running to assist the Nugget to dismount, while the bearers of
Tom Brixton laid him on the ground, removed the blanket, and revealed
his face.

The exclamations of surprise would no doubt have been redoubled at this
sight if the power of exclamation had not been for the time destroyed.
The sham botanist in particular was considerably puzzled, for he at once
recognised Tom and also Betty, whom he had previously known. Of course
he did not know Tolly Trevor; still less did he know that Tolly knew
_him_.

Unaco himself was somewhat surprised at the mutual recognitions, though
his habitual self-restraint enabled him to conceal every trace of
emotion. Moreover, he was well aware that he could not afford to lose
time in the development of his little plot. Taking advantage,
therefore, of the surprise which had rendered every one for the moment
more or less confused, he gave a sharp signal which was well understood
by his friends in the bush.

Instantly, and before Tolly or Betty could warn their friends of what
was coming, the surrounding foliage parted, as if by magic, and a circle
of yelling and painted Redskins sprang upon the white men. Resistance
was utterly