d given him--he saw
that the two men were making their bed under the waggon, while the black
was sidling slowly up to the fire. There the Australian curled himself
up like a great dog, while the doctor stood about a dozen yards away,
searching the dimly seen landscape with a little pocket-glass.

Then Nic climbed in under the tilt, opened one blanket and doubled it,
made a pillow of the other, and then--

"Yes, father--directly."

For the dawn was beginning to break, and a bright light shone up among
the branches of the trees, out of which came a series of piercing bird
screams.

"Look sharp: kettle nearly boils."

Nic scrambled from under the tilt, feeling now that he must be called to
help keep watch, for he was convinced that he had only just lain down.

CHAPTER TEN.

A MORNING DIP.

"Had a good night's rest, my boy?"

"Night's rest?" stammered Nic.

"Yes; you have been asleep eight hours, I should say."

Nic stared.

"Like a bath? Do you good. Get a towel, and have a plunge into the
pool. Don't be more than a quarter of an hour gone. Can you swim?"

"Yes, father," said Nic, who felt stiff and shivery; and as he climbed
up under the waggon-cover for the towel, he wished bathing had never
been invented.

Getting down and making for the water-hole, he came upon Brookes, who
was carrying an armful of wood for the fire, and he saluted the boy
with:

"Going to have a dip?"

"Yes."

"Hope you'll like it. Don't ketch me at it."

His face was only dimly seen reflecting the light of the fire; but
recalling what he had seen, Nic could not help feeling that the stock
man did not use water much for outward application.

Half-way to the hole he met the black, who said something
incomprehensible, to which Nic answered with "good morning," and hurried
on to the bank, down in the hollow along which the river ran.

There was a thin, whitish mist just visible over the water, which looked
horribly black and cold, making the boy feel as if he would have given
anything to evade the morning duty.

"Why not shirk it?" he said to himself. "I might wash my face and
hands, and go back."

Hurrying a dozen yards or so to where the bank was lower and the water
not above eight or ten inches beneath, he prepared for a simple wash,
and laid his towel on a bush; but his conscience attacked him, and,
setting his teeth hard, he tore off jacket and vest in a way that was
nothing less than vicious. These he pla