r he intended to put the
station in a state of defence, and drill them or train them in the use
of their weapons.

Nic took it all in good part, as he made an excellent breakfast, his
appetite being sharpened by two hours' busy work with the men and
inspecting some of the stock, ending by finding for the three Englishmen
tasks that required performing close about the house, and others for the
three blacks, who had promised to be very industrious while the master
was away, were also found close at hand.

"They'll all be here if wanted," Nic confided to his sister Janet; "for
I must go a very long round to drive in some of the cattle on the far
run. Father meant to have gone with me to-day."

"It is hardly necessary to be so particular, dear," said Janet; "but it
will make mother more comfortable. I don't think I would say that you
are going far."

"No, I did not mean to," replied Nic. "I shall go round and see that
the men are at work all right, and then mount and be off just as if I
were only going a little way."

"When will you be back?"

"About three or four o'clock at the latest."

Directly after breakfast he went and saw that the men were at work, said
a word or two of praise to the blacks, whose faces shone with
satisfaction; then going to the stable he saddled his horse, led it to
the fence while he fetched his gun, mounted and rode off, unconscious of
the fact that Brookes, who was busy in the wood-shed, was watching him.

Samson also rested upon his spade in the garden, and gazed with a smile
at the lithe, active lad as he cantered easily away, looking as if he
and the beautiful little highly bred horse were one.

Then Leather caught sight of the lad, and his face darkened, as he felt
low-spirited and had an intense longing to go with him somewhere far
away from the work about the station.

Just at the same moment Bungarolo, who had been busy weeding, raised his
keen eyes, noted the direction Nic had taken, gave his trousers a hitch,
grinned, dropped upon his chest, and began to creep rapidly like a slug
toward the gate in the fence, through which he passed, and continued his
way to where the other two blacks were busy cleaning out the cow-shed.

What followed did not take long. There was a whispered jabbering, a
happy grin upon each face, and then, as if by one consent, the three
blacks stripped off their shirts, unbuttoned and kicked off their
trousers, and stood up in their native costume of