e, drooped his
hands before him, and bent his head down, pretending to nibble at the
grass, after which he made a little bound, then another; then a few
jumps, raised himself up and looked round over his shoulder, as if in
search of danger, and then went off in a series of wonderful leaps,
returning directly grinning.

"Boomer," he cried; "boomer."

"He means kangaroo," cried Tim, excitedly.

"Of course he does," said Rifle. "Boomer-kangaroo."

"Kangaroo boomer," replied the black eagerly. "Boomer." Then taking
the straighter weapon, he hurled it forcibly, and sent it skimming over
the ground with such unerring aim that it struck a tree fifty yards away
and fell. "Mumkull black fellow," he cried laughing.

Then picking up the second weapon, he threw it so that it flew skimming
along through the air close to the ground for a considerable distance,
curved upward, returned over the same ground, but high up, and fell not
far from the thrower's feet.

"Budgery," cried Shanter, regaining his weapon, and laughing with
childish delight.

"Here, let's have a try," said Norman, seizing the boomerang--literally
boomer or kangaroo stick--and imitating the black's actions, he threw
it, but with such lamentable want of success, that his brother and
cousin roared with laughter, and the black grinned his delight.

"Here, I'll show you," cried Rifle; but he turned round hurriedly, for
there was a loud hail from a distance, and in obedience to a signal they
all hurried to where the captain stood with Uncle Jack, both coming now
toward them, and as they drew nearer the boys could read the look of
anger in the captain's face.

"We were just coming back, father," cried Norman.

"Coming back, sir? How am I ever to trust you lads again. I sent you
on a mission of what might mean life or death, and I find you playing
like schoolboys with that savage."

"We were coming back, father," said Rifle, apologetically. "We met
Shanter here, and he said that the black fellows were all gone."

"And we thought he would be able to tell better than we could," said
Norman, humbly.

"Humph! there was some excuse," said the captain, sternly; "but I expect
my orders to be carried out.--Here, boy."

Shanter advanced rather shrinkingly.

"Black fellows. Where are they?"

"Baal black fellow," said Shanter, hastily. "All gone. Plenty no."

"Come back into camp then, lads," said the captain, "and help. There is
plenty to do."

The