," said the captain; "but you have said nothing about the camps of
black fellows you struck."

"Because we did not find any, father," cried Rifle.

"Humph!" said the captain. "Strange! There must be very few in these
parts, but I always feel that we shall run against them some day."

CHAPTER SIXTEEN.

"WE'LL FIND 'EM."

The troubles of the expedition had died out to such an extent that there
was some talk of another, the captain saying that for exploring reasons
he should head this himself.

Just then Uncle Jack kicked his foot under the table, and the captain
looked up to see such a look of agony in his wife's face that the
subject dropped.

All was going on admirably, oxen and sheep were increasing, the garden
was flourishing, and Dingo Station was daily growing more and more the
home of peace and plenty.

"Ah, Jack," said the captain to his brother, as they sat one evening
smoking tobacco of their own growing, "if it were not for the thoughts
of the black fellows, what a paradise this would be!"

"Perhaps the blacks say something of the kind respecting the whites."

"Why, we don't interfere with them."

"No; but I'm afraid others do."

But just at this time Aunt Georgie was a good deal exercised in her
mind, and she confided her trouble and suspicions to the two girls, but
bade them say not a word to Mrs Bedford.

"It would only worry her, and she has plenty of troubles over those
wild, harum-scarum, neck-breaking, horse-riding boys."

But the next morning at breakfast she let the cat out of the bag.

"Flour? Stolen?" cried Mrs Bedford, excitedly.

"Oh, auntie!" cried the girls, reproachfully.

"Well, I didn't mean to say anything, but I'm quite sure that a quantity
has been taken out of the tub three times lately," said Aunt Georgie,
emphatically.

"Nonsense, aunt!" protested Hetty; "it's your fancy, or else Ida must
have taken some without speaking."

"No," said Ida, quietly, "I have not touched it. If I had wanted some
for cooking, I should have asked aunt for it."

"Of course you would, my dear, and I should not have spilled and wasted
some on the floor."

"Had we not better tell Edward?" said Mrs Bedford. "No; don't worry
him," said Aunt Georgie; "he has quite enough on his mind."

"The boys must have been at it for something," said Ida, quietly.

"Boys have been at what?" said Norman, who was with the others in the
veranda as these words were said.

"Been taking the flour