captain was right: there was plenty to do. The question was what to
begin upon first.

They all set to work to contrive a better shelter; and released now from
dread of an immediate visit from the blacks, their little fortress was
strengthened, and the first steps taken toward making the first room of
their house; the captain as architect having planned it so that other
rooms could be added one by one. But on the very first day the captain
had an experience which nearly resulted in a serious quarrel and the
black being driven from the camp.

For Shanter would not carry boxes or cut wood, or help in any way with
the building, all of which seemed to him perfectly unnecessary; but just
as the captain was getting in a towering passion, the black uttered a
shout and pointed to the cattle which had been grazing and sheltering
themselves beneath some trees, but now were rushing out as if seized by
a panic. Heads were down, tails up, and they were evidently off for the
bush, where the trouble of getting them back might be extreme. But
Shanter was equal to the occasion. He saw at a glance the direction the
cattle were taking; and as the sounds of their fierce lowing and the
thunder of their hoofs reached his ears he darted off to run up a long
slope opposite to the precipice Norman had climbed; and before the
captain and the boys had reached their horses to saddle them and gallop
after the herd, Shanter had descended the other side and gone.

"That black is of no use," said the captain, angrily. "He might have
helped us to find the beasts; now I'm afraid they are gone for ever."

"No, no. It may be a long chase," said Uncle Munday, "but we must
overtake them, and bring them back."

It took some time to catch and bridle and saddle all the horses, and
with the exception of Sam German all were about to gallop off along the
trail left by the cattle, when the captain drew rein.

"No," he said; "we must not leave the camp unprotected. We might have
unwelcome visitors, Jack. You and I must stay. Off with you, boys. I
daresay you will find the black hunting the brutes after all."

The boys waited for no further orders, but stuck their heels into their
horses' sides, and the animals, full of spirit from idleness, went off
at a headlong gallop. There was in fact quite a race over the open
ground, where the beaten track could now be seen deeply marked.

But the run was short. Two miles away they caught sight of the drov