“Let us capture the bird alive,” he said, and we laughed at his words, thinking that he meant to ridicule us.

“I am serious,” he said, “for I believe that it is possible.”

“Let us know how,” cried Murden; “and if your plan succeeds, the best supper that can be obtained in Ballarat shall reward your ingenuity!”

“For how many?” inquired Fred.

“For the party, and Mr. Brown.”

“That will cost you more than five pounds; but as you are anxious for the bird, I will try and devise a way of relieving your purse.”

Fred, as he spoke, uncoiled his long halter,—­a rope that we used to hitch the horses to during the daytime, so that they could wander over considerable ground, and feed upon the dried grass,—­and made a running knot in one end, and thus formed a slip-noose, like the Mexican’s reatta.

“What next?” we asked.

“Why, I want both of you to follow my example, and if you get near enough to the bird, to throw the rope over its neck, and see that one end of it is made fast to the pommel of the saddle.”

“Why, that is the way that the Spaniards capture ostriches,” Murden said.

“Precisely,” returned Fred, “only they have to ride many miles over a sandy soil before the ostrich will consent to be taken; and it strikes me that we can imitate those same Spaniards, and even if we can’t get near enough to cast our reattas we can try the effects of a shot.”

“By George, I’m in for the sport!” cried Murden, and he commenced preparing his rope in a manner similar to Fred’s.

In a few minutes we were ready, and rode off a short distance, and then gradually closed in until the unconscious bird was surrounded.  I then allowed Rover to start, and with a low bay he dashed towards the cassiowary.

The latter, when the dog was within a few feet, stopped feeding, and seemed to be somewhat astonished; and just us the hound sprang upon his intended victim, the bird turned tail to, and started on a run, in the direction of Fred.

The animal made awful clumsy work of running, and yet it got over the ground in a surprisingly rapid manner; and although Rover exerted himself to the utmost, he had some difficulty in gaining on the chase.

We hallooed the hound on, in hopes that he would seize the bird by one of its legs; and in fact, just as he was about to, the cassiowary suddenly stopped, raised one of its huge feet, and with a vigorous kick sent Rover rolling head over heels.

The dog got up and looked somewhat astonished, and then recommenced the chase with renewed vigor and enthusiasm.

The bird continued its irregular course, lifting its huge legs in a slow and mathematical manner, yet running with great speed, and seeming to care no more for bushes, and such like obstructions, than an elephant.

As I said before, the bird’s course led directly towards Fred; but upon getting sight of him as he sat on his horse with rope in hand, it changed, and fled towards me, plunging its long neck, and uttering a short whistle, as though blowing off steam.  Even while running, the short, stumpy wings were used to aid its flight and steady its body, which rocked, and rolled, and swayed to and fro like a ship in a head sea.