In silence the hidden people would wait for the rising of the full moon, while now from all along that black wall of scrub the hungrier wallabies were coming peeping out, to hop on to that grassy laneway and begin to feed. From the forest trees also bush wallabies began venturing out on the sweet grass. By the time the full moon rose in its silvery glory that long, grassy laneway separating scrub from forest seemed alive with the dainty creatures, bathed in the bright, soft light of the silvery moon. Some were sitting back on their tails to wash their fur with tongue and little paws, or energetically scratch themselves where annoyed by a scrub tick. Others were busily eating, or merely tempting appetite by leisurely sliding along by rump and forepaws to nibble at some more succulent morsel, while here and again were a couple of bucks vying for the attentions of an apparently not-much-interested lady friend. These amorous ones would stand back upon haunches and tail and spar up to one another in threatening grunts and hisses, angrily clawing one at the other. Here and there, too, there would be some young doe, genuinely intent upon her own business, being annoyed by a lovesick swain. Sooner or later, with an exasperated hiss, she would wheel upon him and soundly box his ear and nose. Yet others, the early ones with their bellies comfortable in the first eating, would commence playing. All among them were young wallabies very busily eating or enjoying themselves to their hearts’ content.

Presently some of the wallabies scattered over the grass away along at each end of the grass strip became aware of definite black shadows that seemed to be advancing silently towards them, but as they looked became motionless as a burnt tree-stump. Those wallabies that saw would stand back on their tails, ears twitching, seeking sound, eyes gleaming for sign of movement, dainty nose sniffing for smell, and especially smell of that most terribly feared of all enemies—man. But there was no sound. And no smell.

How could the innocent little wallabies know that every man, woman and child that were these black stumps had bathed in the lagoon to wash away body taints, and the smell of ceremonial oils and greases, then lightly plastered themselves with mud or with dust to further deaden any lingering taint?

Presently the shadows took another step, a definite step or two towards them. Those wide-awake wallabies that had noticed had never seen fire-blackened stumps move upon them like this in the moonlight before. To ask others if they saw what they saw they tapped a little warning upon the ground, a soft, inquiring “Thud! Thud!” with the end of their tails. Heads rose inquiringly as some sat back upon their tails, glancing round curiously, sniffing. Soon, here and there; again a black stump stepped towards them, to stop as a wallaby uneasily hopped a few paces away, sat back again and watched, then confidently resumed his feeding.