between
them prevented the ravening man from observing how closely he was
himself observed as he assuaged his pangs. There was, however, something
in the nature of a muttered altercation between the bushrangers when
Howie was sent back for more of everything. Vanheimert put it down to
his own demands, and felt that Stingaree was his friend when it was he
who brought the fresh supplies.

"Eat away," said Stingaree, seating himself and producing pipe and
tobacco. "It's rough fare, but there's plenty of it."

"I won't ask you for no more," replied Vanheimert, paving the way for
his escape.

"Oh, yes, you will!" said Stingaree. "You're going to camp with us for
the next few days, my friend!"

"Why am I?" cried Vanheimert, aghast at the quiet statement, which it
never occurred to him to gainsay. Stingaree pared a pipeful of tobacco
and rubbed it fine before troubling to reply.

"Because the way out of this takes some finding, and what's the use of
escaping an unpleasant death one day if you go and die it the next?
That's one reason," said Stingaree, "but there's another. The other
reason is that, now you're here, you don't go till I choose."

Blue wreaths of smoke went up with the words, which might have phrased
either a humorous hospitality or a covert threat. The dispassionate tone
told nothing. But Vanheimert felt the eye-glass on him, and his hearty
appetite was at an end.

"That's real kind of you," said he. "I don't feel like running no more
risks till I'm obliged. My nerves are shook. And if a born back-blocker
may make so bold, it's a fair old treat to see a new chum camping out
for the fun of it!"

"Who told you I was a new chum?" asked Stingaree, sharply. "Ah! I
remember," he added, nodding; "you heard of me lower down the road."

Vanheimert grinned from ear to ear.

"I'd have known it without that," said he. "What real bushmen would boil
their billy on a spirit-lamp when there's wood and to spare for a
camp-fire on all sides of 'em?"

Now, Vanheimert clearly perceived the superiority of smokeless
spirit-lamp to tell-tale fire for those in hiding; so he chuckled
consumedly over this thrust, which was taken in such excellent part by
Stingaree as to prove him a victim to the desired illusion. It was the
cleverest touch that Vanheimert had yet achieved. And he had the wit
neither to blunt his point by rubbing it in nor to recall attention to
it by subtle protestation of his pretended persuasion. But once