shall see our colonial mode of
making tea."

As he spoke he poured a goodly portion into the lid of the canister,
waited till the water in the billy was well on the boil, when he tossed
in the whole of the tea, gave it a rapid stir round to send all the dry
leaf beneath the surface, and then lifted it off the fire, let it stand
for a very short time, filled the big tin mugs with which they were
provided, then those of the men, after which they sat down to their
evening meal.

The cattle and horses were grazing all around, and in the calm silence
the _crop, crop_ as they bit off the grass sounded peculiarly loud,
while from a distance came the loud wailing cry of the curlew, a strange
trumpet-like tone, and a note from close at hand which made Nic turn
inquiring eyes upon his father.

"Curlew, crane, and the mopoke," said the doctor. "More pork the
settlers call it."

"Mopoke?"

"Yes. There goes one;" and he pointed to where a dark, swift-winged
bird was hovering about a tree evidently in quest of moths.

"Why it flies like the goat-sucker does at home," said Nic, pausing to
watch the bird.

"To be sure it does. It is a relative, only bigger. You'll find plenty
of birds that bear a resemblance to our own."

"And animals?"

"No. Birds are most plentiful, and in great variety; quadrupeds are
scarce, and very peculiar. This, you know, is the land of the kangaroo,
and we have varieties of that curious beast, from tiny ones we call
rats, right up to the giants which stand up taller than the biggest
man."

The sun had set, the great stars were shining out through the clear air,
and night was coming on fast, with the cries of the birds sounding
strange and even awful in that loneliness.

"Tired out, Nic?" said his father; and the boy started and stared.

"Why, you were asleep, Nic. Don't you understand me?"

"Eh? Yes. What say, father? Was I asleep?"

"Soundly, my boy. Come along; you can creep in under the tilt and go to
sleep on the boxes. There are two blankets rolled up ready for you."

"But what are you going to do?" asked Nic.

"Look round for a bit, and take my turn at watching."

"But I must too," said Nic, shaking off his drowsiness.

"When I tell you, my boy. Now go to sleep, and get rested for
to-morrow's work. The dogs will give warning if any one comes near."

Nic obeyed, and as he went to say "good night" to the dogs--towards
which he felt no animosity for the ducking they ha