We slept until dark, and, upon awakening, found that Smith had joined us, and left the whole responsibility of giving warning, if the natives approached, to the dog.  The latter, however, was worth a dozen men for such a purpose, and we commended Smith for his sagacity in securing rest before the time arrived when we knew that demonstration would be made against our encampment.

We gathered some dried grass and made a fire, sufficient to boil a teakettle, and then deliberately prepared a dish of coffee, not knowing but that it would be our last.  After we had concluded our supper we examined our rifles and revolvers, found them in good order, and then carefully reviewing the animals so that it was impossible for them to get loose without cutting their fastenings, we took up our positions at an equal distance apart, and in a circle outside of the cattle.

Rover placed himself by my side, and looked into my face as much as to say that he understood all that was going on, and hoped that he was to be trusted with any important business which might come before us.

The night wore slowly away.  Sleep we did not, for the insects were so troublesome that it seemed as though we inhaled them at every breath.  They filled the air and dashed their dry wings in our faces while flitting over our heads, and their eternal buzzing was like the murmuring of a distant waterfall.

I judged that it was near two o’clock, and at the period when sleep is the strongest, that my attention became riveted upon the singular movements of some animal which appeared to be feeding upon the withered grass which covered the plain.  Sometimes it moved near enough to allow me to almost discern what it was, and then it would recede and be lost from sight for a few minutes, to again appear and approach nearer than at first.

Rover appeared to be as deeply interested in the animal as myself, for his eyes glowed like balls of fire as he watched the movements of the strange nondescript, and appeared to wonder why I did not tell him to investigate the matter instead of sitting there with staring eyes.

Presently a second and then a third animal came in sight, and their movements were like that of the first.  Slowly and in an irregular line they approached me, halting every two or three seconds as though feeding upon the grass, which was rank and tasteless, and at length I came to the conclusion that they were animals peculiar to Australia, and such as I had not seen before.

“Smith,” I said, calling to that worthy man, who, I thought, was nodding in a mysterious manner.

“Well,” he answered, rubbing his eyes and trying to appear as though he had not thought of sleeping on his post.

“What kind of animals are these within a rod of the camp, feeding so quietly?”

When I spoke and pointed to them, I was astonished to find that, during the short time my attention was occupied, half a dozen others were in sight, but they were no longer feeding—­they appeared to be surprised at the sound of a human voice, and were listening attentively.