Slowly Bony shook his head.

“You would be wise to depart to your own country, and go soon and fast,” he said. “What I find I keep. It isn’t yours. What I have seen I talk about. Who was the white feller in the great bird?”

“I do not know. I saw no great bird.”

“Liar! The white man in the great bird came from your country. He told you to watch for white man’s horse-car. He told you he would burn it. You all come look-see to pick anything you find, eh? The big bird can’t set down white man around here. You see, man of Illprinka, I know. Now go back to your own country.”

“You shall come with us,” the fellow said

“I should not be happy with you,” Bony told him calmly.

“You will come with us, or you will be killed.”

Bony laughed.

“You talk like a lubra. I shall remember you.”

The Illprinka man stood up, distorting his face to an even further degree of ugliness. He had walked to the camp in sprightly defiance. Now he went back to his companions running, yelling to them, and they brandished their weapons and came to meet him. Bony stood up.

“Carry my swag, Burning Water,” he cried. “I wish to fire without hindrance, and we must be on our way to the McPherson Station. Walk behind me, and keep your eyes on these gentlemen.”

Almost at casual pace Bony left the camp and took the road to the plain. The aborigines on seeing him advancing towards them irresolutely packed together, harangued by the leader. Bony fired, and the bullet kicked dust close to their feet. They retreated down the road. Bony, with Burning Water walking behind him, continued. The small crowd ahead appeared not to walk fast enough to please, and another bullet whined uncomfortably overhead and scattered them. With the enemy wide on both flanks, Bony advised the chief of the Wantella Nation who was not too proud to carrya swag. “It was the secret of my illustrious namesake’s great military success. Had we attempted to escape from those people they would have attacked.”