eg?"

"Well, I heard the same tale, yesterday, about old Brown and the ants,"
said Hil.

"You did?"

"Yes, and I fancy I can recognise you two in the story I heard, since
you say you came as tramps."

"I don't understand," said Hal, looking at her in astonishment.

"I'll tell it you as it was told to me, then. It appears Joe Brown
recognised in the two tramps the two men who had driven by in a buggy
and he passed it round the camp, and while you two were acting as tramps
everyone was laughing at you."

"Miss Mannahill, where did you hear that?" called out Hal,
thunderstruck.

"That's not all," continued Hil, imperturbably. "We heard about you in
Brisbane, and how you were good enough to discuss May and myself in a
public saloon."

Hal looked at Reg in astonishment, and unable to say a word.

"Can you deny saying that, from all accounts, that cousin of May
Goodchild's was a bit of a star?" asked Hil.

"And that I was a jolly girl?" struck in May, both of them now laughing
heartily at the nonplussed appearance of the two men.

"Excuse me, I--" said Hal, with an uncanny feeling that there was
witchcraft somewhere.

"No, we won't. We want an apology."

"For what?" said Reg, seriously.

"For speaking ill of absent friends."

"Did we speak ill?"

"Yes, of those two new chums, who were--"

"Not yourselves."

"Certainly," said Hil, smiling. "And I am glad we seemed ladylike and I
hope you'll do us the justice to say we have got back to our ma's--or
the equivalent."

"You two ladies were the new chums!" said Reg, not quite sure if he
heard aright.

"Yes. How did we look?"

"Splendid."

"Oh, you traitors, but we'll forgive you," said Hil, ringing for
refreshments.

The girls then told their adventures and were equally amused to find
they had all been at cross-purposes the whole time. It took the boys
some considerable time to get over their astonishment.

"We went for a man, and returned with a horse," said Hil.

"And we went for a man, and returned with a stick," added Hal.

"Which stick? Not the famous one with all the notches cut on it?" asked
May.

"The very same. There are several fresh notches added, and one of them
may refer to you."

"Oh, let us see it. Where is it?" said Hil, excitedly.

"I have it safe under lock and key," answered Reg.

"You can scratch out my notch," said May, "for though I had a narrow
squeak, my heart is not quite broken, thanks to you two."

"For one thi