ast. But the old lady
did not shrink. She stood her ground bravely, her eyes fixed on the
black's and her lips going all the time.

"Oh, you suspicious wretch!" she cried. "How dare you doubt me! Yes;
you had better! Why, if you so much as scratched me with the point of
your nasty stick, they would shoot you dead. There, take it."

The captain felt startled, for just then she made a sharp gesture when
the black was in the act of snatching the bread. But the alarm was
needless; the savage's idea was to protect himself, not to resist her,
and as the quick movement she made caused the bread to drop from the
point of the knife, he bobbed down, secured it almost as it touched the
ground, caught it up, and darted back.

"Shanter got a damper," he cried; and tearing off a piece, he thrust it
into his mouth. "Hah, nice, good. Soff damper. No tick knifum in
Shanter dis once."

"There," said the captain, advancing, "you have your damper, and there's
another sixpence for you. Now go."

The black ceased eating, and looked at the little piece of silver.

"What for tickpence?" he said.

"For you--for your gin."

"Hey, Shanter no got gin. Gin not have tickpence." He shook his head,
and went on eating.

"Very well then; good-night. Now go."

"Go 'long?"

"Yes. Be off!"

The black nodded and laughed.

"Got tickpence--got damper. No couldn't tick a knifum in Shanter. Go
'long--be off!"

He turned sharply, made a terrible grimace at Aunt Georgie, shook his
spear, struck an attitude, as if about to throw his spear at her, raised
it again, and then threw the bread high up, caught it as it came down on
the point, shouldered his weapon, and marched away into the darkness,
which seemed to swallow him up directly.

"There, good people," said the captain merrily, "now time for bed."

Ten minutes later the embers had been raked together, watch set, and for
the most part the little party dropped asleep at once, to be awakened by
the chiming notes of birds, the peculiar whistle of the piping crows,
and the shrieks of a flock of gloriously painted parrots that were busy
over the fruit in a neighbouring tree.

CHAPTER FIVE.

"HOW MANY DID YOU SEE?"

It was only dawn, but German had seen that the great kettle was boiling
where it hung over the wood fire, and that the cattle were all safe, and
enjoying their morning repast of rich, green, dewy grass. The boys were
up and off at once, full of the life and