been seen. Presently bright flames burst up from the ground--a
fire had been lighted, but no one could be seen.

"They are between us and the fire," whispered Paul.

"I hope they are not coming this way," said Hector.

"No fear of that," answered Harry.

A minute elapsed, when Hector uttered an exclamation in a voice so loud
that it was a wonder it did not betray them.

"Oh, look there! look there! what can those horrid things be?"

As he spoke, at the opposite side of the fire there appeared what looked
exactly like a band of dancing skeletons leaping and twisting in the
most grotesque fashion. At the same time wild shrieks, cries, and
shouts rose from a hundred voices, intended to represent singing,
accompanied by the rattling of musical instruments, and the slapping of
their parchment-like skins by the older natives rose in the night air.
Now all the legs on one side would go up, now those on the other, now
the arms would be thrown above the grinning skulls, now they would be
placed akimbo, now they would sink close to the ground with bended
knees, now spring up into the air. Indeed, they assumed in succession
every possible attitude, all moving together as if pulled by one string.
Then, as suddenly as they had appeared, they vanished from sight.

Reggy was on the point of crying out when Paul put his hand on his
mouth.

"Can those be real skeletons?" inquired Hector.

"Oh, dear, no!" whispered Paul; "they are merely blacks who have painted
their bodies in that curious fashion. They are holding one of their
corrobberees. They will keep it up all night, and little rest we shall
get while they are howling and shrieking in this fashion."

The boys, however, remained some time watching the strange, weird scene.
It would be difficult to describe the various antics performed by the
savages. So amused were the lads that they forgot how time passed; but
Paul at length suggested that they should find their way back. It was
no easy matter to do so through the thick wood, although they were
assisted in steering their course by the noise behind them. At last
they reached the bank of the river, when they were able to make better
progress. They found the captain and the rest of the party very anxious
about them. The noise of the natives had reached the camp, and it was
feared that they might have fallen into their hands. Bendigo advised
that they should start before daybreak.

"Black fellow sleep then; no c