“O, friends, hey?” croaked the bird, eyeing us sharply; “why didn’t you say so before? give Toll something; pretty Poll!”

We were unable to comply with the request, and the parrot didn’t spare us in his denunciations for our illiberality, and to relieve us, Mr. Wright proposed that we should visit his private apartment and change our clothes, seeing that we stood in need of different raiment very much, and having none of our own at hand.

The room into which we were shown was used as a sleeping apartment and wardrobe by the proprietor of the station, and while it contained but few of the luxuries of civilized life, it was not entirely destitute of a comfortable appearance.

In one corner was a rude bedstead, with a hair mattress and blankets, a looking glass of miniature dimensions, a rifle of English pattern, heavy and cumbersome, a pair of splendid duelling pistols, a long sword with basket hilt, and a bowie knife.

“Here’s where I sit and read, and sometimes write,” said our host, throwing open a window to enable us the better to see his treasures; “my library is small, and I seldom make additions to it, but the few books which I have are like friends whom I can trust, old and true.  Now I desire that you shall change your garments, and if you wish, take a bath before supper.”

The proposition which our host made was not to be neglected, for my skin felt as though parched in an oven, and my clothes were so scorched that they were ready to fall to pieces.  We did not scruple, therefore, to avail ourselves of the courtesy of Mr. Wright, and after a wash in a huge hogshead, that was used for bathing purposes, we once more found ourselves comfortable, with clean garments, and when we were dressed supper was announced.

Day, who had participated in our toils and struggles, and whom we had learned to regard with considerable affection, declined seating himself at the table with us, and all our urging did not overcome his diffidence, although backed by Mr. Wright, but, I must confess, rather feebly, and it was so evident that the farmer did not care about the company of Day that I no longer urged it.

“I saw the fire that is raging in the woods early this morning,” Mr. Wright said, when he saw that our appetites were slightly checked, “and I feared that it would spread this way, and so gave orders to drive in the cattle and pen them up until all danger was passed.  I was more willing to do this from the fact that my two Australians reported bushrangers in the vicinity, and that, after hovering around for a day or two, they had left for Mount Tarrengower.”

While Mr. Wright was speaking, we could hear roars of laughter in the next room, which seemed to be the kitchen.

“My men are at their supper, and I suppose that your follower, whom some of my people tell me belongs at the next station, is amusing them with his wonderful adventures.”

“He is as honest a fellow as ever lived, and has served us most faithfully.  Without his aid we should not have escaped the fury of as savage a flock of bushrangers as ever roamed through the woods of Australia.”