As yet we had not been troubled by the blackfellows.
Those we had seen seemed pretty civil, and we had not allowed them to get familiar; but this pleasant state of things was not to last.

James and the Doctor, with one man, were away for the very last mob, and I was sitting before the fire at the camp, when Dick, who was left behind with me, asked for my gun to go and shoot a duck.

I lent it him, and away he went, while I mounted my horse and rode slowly about, heading back such of the cattle as appeared to be wandering too far.
I heard a shot, and almost immediately another; then I heard a queer sort of scream, which puzzled me extremely.

I grew frightened and rode towards the quarter where the shots came from, and almost immediately heard a loud call.

I replied, and then I saw Dick limping along through the bushes, peering about him and holding his gun as one does when expecting a bird to rise.