in time to see the Wombat in the act of stealing the
Puddin' from the hollow log.

'Treachery is at work,' he shouted.

'Treachery,' roared Bill, and with one blow on the snout knocked the
Fireman endways on into the burning cinders, where his helmet fell off,
and exposed the countenance of that snooting, snouting scoundrel, the
Possum.

The Possum, of course, hadn't expected to have his disguise pierced so
swiftly, and, though he managed to scramble out of the fire in time to
save his bacon, he was considerably singed down the back.

'What a murderous attack!' he exclaimed. 'O, what a brutal attempt to
burn a man alive!' and as some hot cinders had got down his back he gave
a sharp yell and ran off, singeing and smoking. Bill, distracted with
rage, ran after the Possum, then changed his mind and ran after the
Wombat, so that, what with running first after one and then after the
other, they both had time to get clean away, and disappeared over the
skyline.

'I see it all,' shouted Bill, casting himself down in despair. 'Them low
puddin'-thieves has borrowed a fireman's helmet, collared a hose, an'
set fire to a cowshed in order to lure us away from the Puddin'.'

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

'The whole thing's a low put-up job on our noble credulity,' said Sam,
casting himself down beside Bill.

'It's one of the most frightful things that's ever happened,' said Bill.

'It's worse than treading on tacks with bare feet,' said Sam.

'It's worse than bein' caught stealin' fowls,' said Bill.

'It's worse than bein' stood on by cows,' said Sam.

[Illustration]

'It's almost as bad as havin' an uncle called Aldobrantifoscofornio,'
said Bill, and they both sang loudly--

'It's worse than weevils, worse than warts,
It's worse than corns to bear.
It's worse than havin' several quarts
Of treacle in your hair.

'It's worse than beetles in the soup,
It's worse than crows to eat.
It's worse than wearin' small-sized boots
Upon your large-sized feet.

'It's worse than kerosene to boose,
It's worse than ginger hair.
It's worse than anythin' to lose
A Puddin' rich and rare.'

[Illustration]

Bunyip Bluegum reproved this despondency, saying, 'Come, come, this is
no time for giving way to despair. Let us, rather, by the fortitude of
our bearing prove ourselves superior to this misfortune and, with the
energy of justly enraged men, pursue these malefactors, who have so
ri