the track of the
fugitives once more.

The roads now became rough and hilly, and the travelling much slower.
About three o'clock they reached Campbell Camp crossing, and there they
found the buggy, broken-down as described. An old man was camped close
by, and seemed in possession of the turn-out, as he had the horses tied
up close at hand.

"Had a smash?" asked Hil, greeting him.

"Yes, axle bent," said he, coming towards them.

"Seen anything of another buggy go by?"

"Yes, one drove across to the station this morning, with two men in it.
They drove a pair of bay horses."

"We may as well camp here for the night," said Hil, "the feed seems
pretty good, and water's scarce ahead they tell us."

"Are you coves going to camp here?" asked the man.

"Yes, we are thinking of doing so."

"That's the style, it's a bit lonely here all day."

"Who's trap is that?"

"It belongs to a young chap going to Chinchilla. He's gone on ahead."

"What sort of a fellow is he?" asked Hil.

"A youngish chap. Seemed like as he was in trouble, for he sweared a lot
when we broke down."

"What's your name?"

"Joe Brown."

"What time did he start from here?"

"About eight o'clock this morning: but what do you want to know for?"

"Oh! nothing, he's a friend of ours."

"That's just what them other coves said who drove up in a buggy, only
they was more inquisitive."

"Could they be the boys?" said Hil, turning to May.

"No, impossible; and yet they may be, like us, in disguise for all we
know."

"Which way did they go?" said she, turning to the man.

"They went to Chinchilla after him."

"Oh, well, I expect we shall catch up with them to-morrow. Come along,
May, let's get our tent rigged up."

While they were fixing their tent, a hawker's van, drawn by four horses,
drove up. Beside the driver sat a man and a boy. Pulling up alongside
the creek, the driver walked towards Joe Brown.

"Are you Joe Brown?" he called out in a loud voice.

"Yes, that's me. What's up?"

"Well, I met a young chap going to Chinchilla this morning, and he told
me to try and straighten the axle of his buggy, and take it back to
Dalby."

"I've got no objection," said Joe, looking significantly at the other
man in the cart.

"Then come and give us a hand to get my team out, and we'll set to work
at once," said the hawker, whose name was Abraham Abrahams.

The girls having rigged their tent and seen to the horses, strolled down
to the hawk