ttle had increased to a thousand head--most of them
full-grown, and by some mysterious agency they were branded 'T' as well!
And the six horses had multiplied to an astonishing extent; from six
they had grown to fifty, all in six months! And now Joseph Treverton,
Esq., J.P., and Member of the Legislative Assembly, is one of the
richest squatters in the North, and the Misses Treverton speak of their
'papa' as 'one of the very earliest pioneers of the pastoral industry in
North Queensland, you know.'"

* Cattle stealer.

The girl's frank sarcasm delighted Forde, the more so as he knew that
what she had said was perfectly true.

"Well, it is a new country, you see, Miss Fraser, and----"

Just then the two horses raised their heads and neighed, and Forde,
going to the edge of the bluff, saw a horseman coming along the beach in
a direct line for where they were camped.

"We are to have company, Miss Fraser. There is some one riding direct
for the bluff."

CHAPTER IX

In less than half-an-hour the new-comer, who was walking his horse,
slowly rode up to the bluff, and raised his hat to Miss Fraser and her
companion.

"Good-morning!" he said, as he dismounted. "I saw you as I was coming
along the beach and so turned off. Am I on the right track for Kaburie,
and Fraser's Gully?"

"Yes," replied Forde, "this is the turn off here for both Kaburie and
the Gully; the main track goes on to Boorala. Will you have some tea?"

"Thank you, I shall be very glad of a drink." Then again raising his hat
to Kate, he said, "My name is Gerrard. Are you Miss Fraser?"

"Yes," replied Kate smiling, "and you are Mr Gerrard of Ocho Rios, I am
sure, for I have seen your photograph. But how did you guess I was Kate
Fraser?"

"I really could not tell you; but somehow I felt certain that you were
the young lady whom Mr Lacey described so admiringly to me a day or two
ago."

"Did he? The dear old man! How nice of him," and she laughed merrily.
"Mr Gerrard, this is my friend, the Reverend Mr Forde, of Boorala--and
hundreds of other towns as well."

The two men shook hands, and in a few minutes Gerrard was conversing
with him and his fair companion as if he had known them for years, and
both Forde and Kate were much interested in learning the object of his
visit to Kaburie.

"I do hope you will buy Kaburie, Mr Gerrard," said Kate; "it is a
really splendid station, and I am sure that you will like it better than
your place aw