blows, so Jimmy took out his waddy, and after glancing forward to see
that he was not observed, he waited until Gyp came up slowly, and
casting sidelong looks at the Australian, who gave him a heavy thump on
the ribs with the war-club.

"Bad bunyip dog. Good for nothing, dirty dingo dog," cried Jimmy. "Go
long, bad for good dog. Get--yah!"

This last was a terrific yell of fear and pain, for instead of cowering
down and suffering himself to be beaten and kicked, Gyp knew that this
was not his master. For one moment he had stood astonished at the blow,
and then seemed puzzled by the strange broken English objurgations; then
with a fierce snarl he darted at the black and tried to seize him by the
legs, an attack which Jimmy avoided by making a tremendous spring,
catching at a horizontal branch above him, and swinging himself up into
a tree, where he crouched like a monkey, showering down angry epithets
upon the dog as it yelped and barked at him furiously.

I came out of my hiding-place laughing till the tears ran down my
cheeks; and the noise made by Gyp brought back the doctor and Jack
Penny, the latter taking in the situation at a glance and indulging in a
broad grin.

"Take away bunyip dog; take um way or Jimmy killum," cried the black.

"All right!" said Jack Penny; "come down and kill him then."

But Jimmy showed no disposition to move, and it was not until Jack had
ordered the dog away that the black dropped down, looking at me very
sheepishly and acting like a shamefaced child.

As we proceeded farther into the interior, wild creatures grew more
abundant, and we saw fewer traces of man having traversed these regions.
As I noted the various objects I could not help feeling how my father
must have revelled in exploring such a naturalist's paradise as this,
and I grew more hopeful as the idea gained ground in my mind that very
likely he was busy in the interior still pursuing his researches.

We travelled very little way now without catching glimpses of some of
the occupants of these wilds. Perhaps it was but a glimpse, but
generally we were able to distinguish what it was that darted through
bush, tree, or shadowy glade. Once or twice we caught sight of the
spots of leopards; then a graceful deer would stand at gaze for a moment
before going off like the wind. Once a herd of heavy buffaloes started
up before us and crashed through the undergrowth; and at last, as we
drew near a great tree, the doctor