by comes back.
Tommy!"

"Yes."

"This sort of thing is all right, isn't it?" and the big man waved his
great arm vaguely around his head.

"Yes, it's as fine a bit of country as there is anywhere in Australia,"
replied the younger man, who knew how devoted his companion was to
Marumbah. "In fact it is all good country on Marumbah. I wish my run was
half as good. Still I've nothing to grumble at. There are five thousand
cattle on Ocho Rios now, and it will carry another two thousand easily."

Presently Toby appeared carrying three ducks, which he handed to his
master, who felt them approvingly. "They're all right, Toby. Go and look
to your fire. Now, Tom, my son, I'll show you the only way to fix up a
black duck quickly, and correctly as well." Plucking the thick coating
of feathers off the underneath half of a bird from the lower part of the
neck down, he made a deep, sweeping curve with his sheath knife, removed
the entire breast denuded of plumage, and then threw the rest to the
dogs. A second bird was done the same way, and the two portions were
then skewered through with a piece of hard, green wood, sprinkled with
salt, and handed to the black boy, who soon had them frizzling merrily
over a glowing fire.

Gerrard nodded approval. "Quick, but wasteful, old man. You would never
do for a cook in a well-regulated household." Then cutting off a large
piece of the turkey, he skewered it in the same manner, and hung up the
rest for Toby to eat.

Night came swiftly, and, as the two friends ate their supper, and drank
their strong "billy" tea, the stars came out, and the heavy dew began
to fall upon the grass. Spreading their blankets under the mimosas, they
lit their pipes, and with their saddles for pillows, began to discuss
various matters--the past day's work, the price of fat cattle in
Melbourne, the late drought in South Australia, and such other
all-important subjects to Australian pastoralists.

Then Gerrard, after describing some of his experiences and troubles with
the wild blacks on Cape York Peninsula where his station, "Ocho Rios,"
was situated, said:

"By the way, Ted. That was a curious thing that you should come across
that youngster Jimmy, just through having a yarn with a sailor on board
the _Balclutha_."

"Very curious; no--it's something more than that Tom. It was as if
the Power above had directed it. This man Coll was one of the
quartermasters, and only mentioned the _Cassowary_ in the most