F. D. MCCARTHY

E. LE G. TROUGHTON

I can only say, “Thanks,” to the Australian Museum officials for their painstaking, long and arduous search.

ION L. IDRIESS.

CONTENTS

I. - THE WARRIOR LAD

II. - AN UNEASY CAMP

III. - THE LIFE OF STONE AGE MAN

IV. - THE TRIBE TRAINS ITS FUTURE WARRIORS

V. - THE LONE LOOK-OUT

VI. - EVERY WOMAN TEACHES WHILE SHE HUNTS

VII. - THE NEW WEAPON

VIII. - MAN MUST FIND FOOD TO LIVE

IX - THE WOMAN-STEALERS

X. - THE TROUBLES OF BOOBUK

XI. - THE DEADLY BLACK SNAKE

XII. - THE VENGEANCE PARTY

XIII. - THE FALSE ALARM

XIV. - THE CORD

XV. - HE TREADS ALONE IN ENEMY COUNTRY

XVI. - THE MENACE

XVII. - WOMAN AND THE CLUB

XVIII. - THE MASTER

XIX. - RUNAWAYS IN THE NIGHT

XX. - THE FIGHT

XXI. - RED KANGAROO RETURNS HOME

XXII. - THE CHALLENGE

XXIII. - THE DUEL

XXIV. - THE WALLABY TRAP

XXV. - THE SPEECH OF THE RED CHIEF

XXVI. - MAKING MEN STRONG

XXVII. - THE LOST DILLY-BAG

XXVIII. - ABANDON CAMP

XXIX. - DANGER COMES FAST

XXX. - THE TRIBE IN DESPERATE STRAITS

XXXI. - THE GREAT PLAN

XXXII. - THE TRAP IS BAITED

XXXIII. - THE DEATH TRAP

XXXIV. - FRIENDS, MY TRIBAL LANDS, FAREWELL

XXXV. - THE RED CHIEF

APPENDIX

I

THE WARRIOR LAD

All gazed at Red Kangaroo, youngest warrior of the tribe. Upon his seventeenth birthday proudly wearing the Bor, belt of manhood, unflinchingly he stood there in challenge to any full-grown warrior who cared to come against him. This was only practice—yes, but a mistake could mean a severe wound, even death.

Facing him one hundred yards distant a bearded warrior stood quietly fitting spear to wommera. Suddenly he leapt forward and the long spear was hurtling towards the lad, who twisted sideways with a lightning flick of his shield that turned the spear quivering harmlessly into the earth.

Again the warrior stepped back, leapt forward, and the spear was coming with bewildering speed as the lad sprang aside with a twist of his wommera that sent the spear skidding along the ground. The warrior fitted the third spear to wommera while the boy stood, left hand holding the wooden shield before him, right hand clenching his wommera, the spear-throwing stick, much as a Roman centurion with shield and short sword might have awaited the charge of a foeman.

An exceptionally fine specimen of the wild Australian aboriginal, this warrior lad. Tall, broad-shouldered, alert, he was to grow into the most powerful and agile warrior of his tribe. But it was his shrewd thinking that made many predict a great future for him. And now he watched unwaveringly the warrior opposed to him.

Again the spear came, but this time with a puzzling, jerky movement, low down and difficult to follow. The boy leapt straight upwards, striking downwards with his wommera, and the deflected spear bit into the earth.

A shout of acclaim greeted this most difficult parry, the men uttering loud “Wahs!” of praise, led by the warrior Burradella and old Bungadoon, and the women and children shrilling their delight. Easy to see that Red Kangaroo was a favourite with the tribe.