th him entirely. There are nothing
like the full number of sheep have passed along here. I should say
that they have not gone along more than two or three deep."

There was a general chorus of assent.

"You can't have been keeping your eyes open," Reuben said to the
trackers, sharply. "If you don't look sharp in future, we shall
quarrel.

"Come, gentlemen, let us ride back to the halting place, and see if
we cannot find out which way the main body have gone."

Ten minutes' riding took them back to their starting place.

"They must have gone over the hill," Reuben said. "They certainly
have not kept along at the foot, or we should see their tracks in
this long grass."

The trackers had exchanged a few words in a low tone, and they now
moved up the hill, and began to examine the ground carefully.

"Some of dem have gone this way, captain."

"Of course they have," Mr. Blount said. "A blind man might see
that."

The marks of the sheep were indeed plain enough to all, when their
attention had once been drawn to the subject. On getting beyond the
crest the trackers turned to the left, and Reuben saw that they
felt it would be hopeless to attempt, further, to mislead a party
containing several settlers who were perfectly capable of following
the trail.

Jim had, since speaking to his master, remained in the rear of the
troop. After three miles' riding across the downs, they again came
down upon a flat country, thickly covered with brush. Here and
there pieces of wool sticking to thorns were visible, and the
trackers went steadily on for some little time. Then their pace
became slower, and finally they stopped.

"Trail ended, captain."

"What do you mean by the trail ended?" Reuben asked angrily. "Why,
I can see a piece of wool, on there ahead."

"Dat so, captain; but only a few sheep hab passed here."

Some of the settlers dismounted and, having examined the ground
carefully, declared that they were of the same opinion as the
trackers.

"Very well," Reuben said; "then in that case, we must go back again
to the foot of the hill. They were all together there, and we must
take up the trail afresh."

On reaching the foot of the hill, Jim and some of the settlers
joined the trackers, and penetrated the bush in all directions.
Each returned bringing in pieces of wool.

"It is plain enough," Reuben said, "what they have done. They have
broken up into small parties, and have scattered. The question is,
'What a