She saw that he meant it. “Well then,” she asked, “can’t you leave our arms unbound now? We could brush aside the bushes then; our hands would save us from a fall; we could travel faster.”

“And snatch out the gag and scream,” he replied, “if there was a chance of rescue—or hit me on the head with a rock and run for your lives. Come on now—open!”

Reluctantly she obeyed.

“Nareen,” said Naroo, grimacing, “what do you think of your man now? Won’t trust us far as he can see us!”—and opened her mouth as he turned to her. Thus he again gagged them, bound their wrists, and loaded them.

“We’ll push on now,” he said, “and must fill the water-bag at the first chance. It will be hot and we must climb again when we get out past these pine-trees. We shall soon be thirsty.”

It was several hours later when they came to a shady creek, a joy with its cool water. Thirstily they knelt to drink, and Red Kangaroo filled the water-bag. The girls stood up ready to go as he tied it to Nareen’s back. And his heart missed a beat.

Out of a patch of scrub across the creek two tribesmen came walking, the bearded elder carrying a kangaroo across his shoulders. They stopped dead and stared. Red Kangaroo was standing immediately behind the girls, his hand fitting spear to wommera.

“Nareen! Naroo!” called out the grizzled warrior. “I thought you were back in camp! When did you come here? Where have they moved camp to now?” He peered a moment longer and called, “Who is the warrior with you?”

His young companion shouted, “Look out! They seem bound and gagged—he must be an enemy!” and leapt aside hurriedly, fitting spear to wommera. He swept back his arm to throw, but Red Kangaroo’s spear was already hurtling through the air. It caught the young warrior fair in the chest and threw him back to the earth, where he writhed with talons tearing up the grass.

“Throw yourselves to the ground, girls!” shouted the grizzled warrior, heaving the kangaroo off his shoulders. But Nareen and Naroo stood as if carved in wood. The warrior jumped from side to side with his spear ready, believing that the girls must be held there at spear-point, since the head of the unknown enemy was peering from directly behind them. Then, at a swift crouching run, he darted up along the creek timber, seeking a clearer throw.

Red Kangaroo leapt back and as the spear came hissing parried it with his shield. It skidded aside amongst the timber—to his disappointment, for he urgently needed that spear, not knowing if these two obvious hunters were alone, or if at any moment a whole pack might come yelling upon him. Keeping an eye on the crouching warrior, he edged back into the timber, seeking the weapon. The warrior, thinking he was running away, yelled contemptuously, and leapt down into the creek, and came plunging across. As he reached the bank Red Kangaroo threw his war boomerang, but the warrior sprang aside with a lightning twist of his shield that sent the boomerang thudding amongst the trees. He came on, leaping from side to side, then suddenly hurled his boomerang. Red Kangaroo parried it, watching this ceaselessly moving foeman. They drew closer in short, crouching leaps, seeking for an opening, each now armed only with nulla and shield, though each believed he had a tomahawk at his belt. Suddenly the foeman rushed and Red Kangaroo caught his nulla on his shield as both sprang aside. Again they closed in, to hissing grunts and sounds that made Red Kangaroo frantic, for he knew that the sharp, rapid, echoing blows of club against shield could be heard a mile and more away through the bush.