eturned to the house in time for luncheon.

It had been arranged that our young friends should visit a sheep run
about twenty miles away, and on the morning of the fourth day Mr. Syme
took them in his covered wagon to their destination. The road was not a
very smooth one, but the wagon, which was well built, suffered no
injury, and as for the passengers, they did not mind a little jolting.
They reached their destination with very sharp appetites, and evidently
their new host, Mr. Johnson, was aware of what their condition would be,
as a substantial meal was on the table a few minutes after their
arrival; and you may be sure that it received ample attention from the
strangers.

After the meal was over, the party went out for a stroll among the
buildings connected with the station. The house where the owner lived
was a solidly built affair, not unlike the one they had sojourned in for
a few days at the cattle station. There was this difference, however,
that it was elevated on posts about six feet from the ground, giving
free circulation of air beneath it, and furnishing a good place of
storage for various things connected with the station.

In reply to an inquiry by Harry, Mr. Johnson said that this arrangement
of the building was a good one to keep out snakes. "It doesn't keep them
out altogether," said he, "as there are snakes that will climb posts,
but ordinarily serpents do not attempt that performance. When I first
came to Australia, I lived in a house which stood right on the ground.
The region was a snaky one, and every little while we would find a snake
in the house, and have a lively time driving him out or killing him.
None of the family was ever bitten by a snake, but we certainly had some
narrow escapes. When I came here and built this house, I determined to
have a dwelling which these unpleasant visitors could not easily enter."

Harry remarked that a snake-proof house was certainly quite to his
liking, and he hoped the building would continue to display its
admirable qualities as long as he remained there.

The youths were impressed with the size and extent of the wool shed
belonging to the establishment, and Ned remarked that they must have a
very active time during the shearing season.

"It is our most active time," was the reply; "the busiest of all the
year. Ordinarily the life on a sheep run is quiet and humdrum, but when
shearing time begins everything is lively. We engage the shearers as
they c