nto town and reported that a mob of wild blacks had been
"dispersed," no one ventured to ask him any questions, but every one
knew what had occurred.

So with Lamington and his silent, grim Danites, Sheila, Grainger, Scott,
and Jacky travelled together for nearly a hundred miles, and then the
two companies separated--Lamington heading towards that part of the
forbidding-looking mountain range where he hoped to find his prey, and
Grainger and his party keeping on to the west.

"It's dangerous country, Grainger," the police officer said as he bade
them goodbye. "There are any amount of niggers all around, so you will
need to be careful about your fire at night. Shift your camp a good half
mile after you have lit your fire and had supper."

Grainger smiled. "I've been through the mill, Lamington. But I don't
think we shall have any trouble unless you head them off and send Sandy
and his friends down on to us."

"I do mean to head them off, and drive them down from the range into
the spinifex country about thirty miles from here, when I can round
them up," said Lamington softly, as if he were speaking of driving game.
"Sorry you won't be with me to see the fun. The L500 reward for the
production of Messieurs Sandy and Daylight--alive or dead--I already
consider as mine. It will give up a trip to Melbourne to see the Cup
next year."

"But you can't claim the money--you're an official."

"This is an exceptional case, and no distinction is to be made
between civilians and policemen--the Government does sensible things
_sometimes_."

* * * * *

Two hours passed, and Sheila, anxiously awaiting the sound of the
horses' bells, or the reappearance of Grainger and Scott, began to feel
that something had gone amiss. The storm had ceased, and when she rose
and stepped outside she saw that a few stars were shining. Seating
herself upon a granite boulder, she listened intently, but the only
sound that broke the black silence of the night was the rushing of the
waters of the creek.

She placed her hands to her mouth, and was about to give a loud
_Coo-ee!_ when her pride stopped her.

"If they hear me," she thought, "they will think I am frightened."

She went back into the tent and again lay down, and tried by the light
of the lantern to read a book which Myra Grainger had given her. Her
watch had stopped, and when she put the book aride she knew that the
dawn was near for t