Silently they walked on, and Red Kangaroo for all his pride in youth, his bravery, his truly great strength, trembled to this unexpected threat of death he could not fight. For he at whom the bone has been pointed must abandon hope.

Burradella noted how his ominous words sank in, then he said softly, “Yes, the bone. But he need not bother to use that! Just one glance, and your enemy Jerrabri would know that he could act. So then?”

“The strangling cord!” breathed Red Kangaroo swiftly. “And the people would never think of Nundoba!”

“You are learning!” said Burradella dryly. Then added, “How did you know about the cord?”

In new-born caution Red Kangaroo glanced uneasily round, then almost whispered, “I keep my ears open, my eyes also.”

“It seems so,” agreed Burradella, “but there are things that you of the Kubara should not hear, should not see! you have to pass other degrees yet before you learn of these things. Be sure that you do not mention the cord, or other forbidden things that you may have learnt or guessed at, to your Kubara friends!”

In silence again they strode on, Red Kangaroo’s mind now whispering of unguessed at dangers threatening him. How different seemed the morning to the dawn!

A pademelon sat up and gazed curiously at them from bright brown eyes, its long ears comically listening, its creamy-white little chest an inviting target under its russet neck. Red Kangaroo did not even notice it.

They could see now the young boys on the grassy lagoon bank patiently awaiting the coming of their teacher, Burradella. Their eyes would be sparkling now they saw their hero coming, too, each boy’s heart would be beating with eagerness to excel in his lesson. But none would dream how troubled was the heart of Red Kangaroo.

How little those lads knew! How little Red Kangaroo had known until this morning!

“I have spoken to old Bungadoon,” said Burradella abruptly. “I have told him to be careful of the words that big mouth of his shouts to all the camp.”

“But Bungadoon is friendly to me, surely,” protested Red Kangaroo miserably. “He has been loud in my praise.”

“Too loud!” growled Burradella. “You have heard his voice booming round the campfires, ‘And mark what I say! That warrior lad Red Kangaroo will one day be a great chief!’ ”

“Ah!” sighed Red Kangaroo. “He was condemning me to the strangling cord—and did not know! And I did not know.”

“Correct,” replied Burradella, “but—”

“But?” almost whispered Red Kangaroo.

“But even so, the witchdoctor Nundoba still has given no sign. Thus Jerrabri still hesitates to act.”

It took quite a time for this to sink in. “But then,” whispered Red Kangaroo, “if Nundoba signs neither yes nor no, then perhaps he really may not be hostile to me!”

“He cannot be—yet!” replied Burradella. “But then, no man knows his mind. See to it that you do not make it up for him against you. I can do no more. I have given you the last warning and now—here are the boys.”