black fool! he'll let it out now about Gyp.
Make him be quiet."

It was too late, for the captain and the doctor were at the hatchway,
descending in spite of Jimmy's shouts and cries that the big bunyip--the
great typical demon of the Australian aborigine--would eat them.

"Shoot um--shoot um--bing, bang!" _whop_ went Jimmy's waddy on the deck;
and in dread lest they should fire at the unfortunate dog in the dark, I
went up and told the captain, the result being that Gyp was called up on
deck, and the great beast nearly went mad with delight, racing about,
fawning on his master and on me, and ending by crouching down at my feet
with his tongue lolling out, panting and blinking his eyes, unaccustomed
to the glare of daylight.

"You're in this game, then, eh, Master Carstairs?" said the captain.

"Well, yes, sir; Penny here took me into his confidence about having
brought the dog, and of course I could not say a word."

"Humph! Nice game to have with me, 'pon my word. You're a pretty
penny, you are, young man," he added, turning to Jack. "I ought to toss
you--overboard."

"I'll pay for Gyp's passage," said Jack coolly. "I wish you wouldn't
make such a fuss."

The captain muttered something about double-jointed yard measures, and
went forward without another word, while Gyp selected a nice warm place
on the deck, and lay down to bask on his side, but not until he had
followed Jimmy up the port-side and back along the starboard, sniffing
his black legs, while that worthy backed from him, holding his waddy
ready to strike, coming to me afterwards with a look of contempt upon
his noble savage brow, and with an extra twist to his broad nose, to
say:

"Jimmy know all a time only big ugly dog. Not bunyip 'tall."

CHAPTER SEVEN.

HOW WE STOPPED THE BLACKBIRD CATCHERS.

The captain was right, for we made the south coast of New Guinea the
_very_ next morning, and as I caught sight of the land that I believed
to be holding my father as in a prison, a strange mingling of pain and
pleasure filled my breast I looked excitedly and long through the
doctor's double glass, and he shook hands with me afterwards, as if he
thoroughly appreciated my feelings in the matter.

It was a lovely morning, with a pleasant breeze blowing, and as we drew
nearer we made out a vessel very similar in build to our own going in
the same direction.

"Why, they are for the same port, I should think!"

"I don't know," said the skipper