ight rosy-scarlet blending off into white crossed with fine
dark-pencilled stripes.

The next was rather a common bird, though none the less beautiful in its
claret-coloured plumage; but the striking part of the bird was its
gaily-coloured beak of orange and vivid blue.

The tramp in the broiling sunshine was so full of interest now, that Ned
forgot the labour, and eagerly kept pace with his uncle, the Malays
following closely behind, and carrying the specimens willingly enough,
but with their swarthy faces wearing rather a contemptuous look for the
man who, in preference to a quiet siesta beneath a tree, chose to tramp
on beneath the burning sun for the sake of a few uneatable birds.

"I say," cried Frank, "I'll tell you of a bird you ought to shoot.
Hist--hist!"

He made energetic signs to them to lie down among the low bushes through
which they were passing.

He was obeyed at once, and most quickly by the Malays, who crouched
down, spear in hand, like an ambush in waiting for something far more
important than the two birds of which the lad had caught sight in a
narrow glade of a park-like patch of trees they were approaching, but
which now remained invisible.

"Well," said Murray, after waiting patiently for some few minutes with
his gun cocked, "what did you see?"

"Two birds you ought to have shot," the lad whispered back, "but they
must have seen us. No; look. Go on first; creep to those bushes."

He pointed to the edge of the clump, from out of which came slowly, with
stately movement, a couple of long-necked birds, one of which carried
behind him an enormous train of feathers which flashed in the brilliant
sunshine.

Murray needed no second hint, but crept carefully forward, taking
advantage of every bush and tree which afforded him shelter, while the
rest remained in concealment eagerly awaiting the result; even the
Malays looking excited, with their soft dark eyes glowing and their
heads craned forward.

Murray soon reduced the distance between him and the birds--quite a
quarter of a mile--and it seemed as if he would easily stalk them; but
while he was a full hundred yards away, something seemed to have
startled the game, which rose at once and made for the open, yet just in
the midst of the disappointment felt at the waste of energy over the
stalk, they curved round so as to make for the shelter of the trees,
passing between the watchers and Murray.

"Never mind," said Frank, "he'll have anot