"Come! It's Goodwin." He made his way to me.
"Throck," I said, wasting no time in preliminaries.

"What's wrong?
Can I help you ?" I felt his body grow tense.
"I'm going to Melbourne, Goodwin," he answered.

"I need a few things--need them urgently.

And more men--white men--" He stopped abruptly; rose from his chair, gazed intently toward the north.

I followed his gaze.