e with his feet in the notches."

"Those black fellows are very accomplished in their way," remarked one
of the youths.

"They are, indeed," was the reply; "and they do certain things that no
white man can ever do. For example, a black fellow employed on a cattle
estate will ride at full gallop and follow the track of a runaway cow or
steer without making a single mistake. A white man would be obliged to
go at a walk, or a very little better, and quite frequently would find
it necessary to dismount and examine the ground carefully. The black
fellows are fully equal to your American Indians in following a trail;
they can track men almost as well as bloodhounds can. In parts of
Australia we have a police force of blacks, and they perform splendid
service in hunting highwaymen and others who have committed crimes and
fled into the bush for concealment and safety."

Harry asked if the blacks were honest in their dealings with white
people.

"I regret to say that their reputation is not by any means the best in
the world," was the reply. "Like savages everywhere when brought into
contact with civilization, they seem to adopt its vices and reject its
virtues. They are generally faithful to those by whom they are employed,
and in this respect their characters are commendable. When it comes to
ordinary lying and stealing, they are very skillful. They resemble other
savages in their fondness for intoxicating drinks, and when they get a
little money their desire to go on a spree is very apt to be
uncontrollable. They will leave their work and go to the nearest place
where intoxicants can be bought, and they keep on buying and drinking
until their money is gone. Generally speaking, you cannot keep them in
your employ very long. As soon as one learns his business so that he is
really useful, he either quits or behaves in such a manner that he has
to be sent away."

Just as this last remark was made, the train halted at a station, and as
our young friends looked through the window they saw a group of blacks.
They had seen a few black fellows on the wheat farm that they visited,
and some had come under their observation in the streets of Adelaide.
These, however, were dressed in civilized garments, and the group at the
station was the first they had seen in aboriginal dress.

Harry noted the scantiness of their costume, which consisted chiefly of
a strip of cloth about the waist, and another strip thrown over the
shoulder or d