had been said, the blacks began
chattering away in the most extraordinary fashion.

As they ceased Toby informed us that they were highly pleased with our
offer. They wished to remain friends with the white men, and if we
chose to stop with them we should be welcome. Of course, we had no
inclination to do this, but we asked if two or three of them would
accompany us to carry home any game we might kill. They however
declined the invitation, saying that they were well filled already, of
which fact their distended condition was sufficient evidence.

"Well then, as we cannot turn back, you will have to go without a
kangaroo, even though we may shoot one," said Bracewell, and telling
Toby to wish them a friendly farewell we rode on.

As I was very active and had been accustomed to running at school, I
easily kept up with the horses. At length however, as the sun grew
hotter, I should have been glad enough to remount. Bracewell, observing
that I was becoming fatigued, insisted on getting off his horse, but of
this I would not hear. He however dismounted, when Guy made him get on
again and put me on his own horse. Before long, however, my brother was
nearly knocked up, and seeing this I proposed that he should remount,
and that I should ride Toby's horse. Toby made a wry face, for,
although better able to run than any of us, he considered that it was
more dignified to ride.

As we rode along we kept a look-out for kangaroos, as we should have
been glad to kill one for ourselves, although our black friends were not
likely to benefit by it.

We had gone some way when we caught sight of a dark object appearing
just above a thick mass of leaves some two hundred yards away. Standing
up in my stirrups I saw that it was the head of a kangaroo who was
engaged in pulling off the foliage. I called to Bracewell and my
brother, hoping that if we could get nearer before the creature moved
away, we might shoot it.

Throwing the halter of the baggage-horse, which I had been leading, to
Toby, I rode towards the spot, unslinging my rifle and as I did so
ramming down a ball. The creature was more wide-awake than I had
supposed. I had just got near enough to fire, when it broke from its
cover in fine style and, after taking a few jumps to see in what
direction to go, it started forward over the open ground without
apparent effort.

"That's a large _boomer_, an old one!" shouted Bracewell, "he'll give us
a long run. If we h