hought he was just resting for a few minutes, so ran on
laughing and playing, each good throw eliciting another effort, for
none liked owning themselves beaten while they had a mooroolah left. As
they got further away they noticed Deegeenboyah was still sitting
down, so they called out to him to know what was the matter. "All
right," he said, "only having a rest; shall come on in a minute." So on
they went. When they were quite out of sight Deegeenboyah jumped up
quickly, took up the emus and made for an opening in the ground at a
little distance. This opening was the door of the underground home of
the Murgah Muggui spider--the opening was a neat covering, like a sort
of trap door. Down though this he went, taking the emus with him,
knowing there was another exit at some distance, out of which he could
come up quite near his home, for it was the way he often took after
hunting.

The Mullyans went home and waited, but no sign of Deegeenboyah. Then
back on their tracks they went and called aloud, but got no answer, and
saw no sign. At last Mullyangah the chief of the Mullyans, said he
would find him. Arming himself with his boondees and spears, he went
back to where he had last seen Deegeenboyah sitting. He saw where his
tracks turned off and where they disappeared, but could not account for
their disappearance, as he did not notice the neat little trap-door of
the Murgah Muggui. But he hunted round, determined to scour the bush
until he found him. At last he saw a camp. He went up to it and saw
only two little girls playing about, whom he knew were the daughters of
Deegeenboyah.

"Where is your father?" he asked them.

"Out hunting," they said.

"Which way does he come home?"

"Our father comes home out of this;" and they showed him the spiders'
trap-door.

"Where are your mothers?"

"Our mothers are out getting honey and yams." And off ran the little
girls to a leaning tree on which they played, running up its bent
trunk.

Mullyangah went and stood where the trunk was highest from the ground
and said: "Now, little girls, run up to here and jump, and I will catch
you. Jump one at a time."

Off jumped one of the girls towards his outstretched arms, which, as
she came towards him he dropped, and, stepping aside, let her come with
her full force to the ground where she lay dead. Then he called to the
horror-stricken child on the tree: "Come, jump. Your sister came too
quickly. Wait till I call, then jump."