with his flapper that he gave in at once.

'I shan't be able to fight any more this afternoon,' said the Wombat, 'as I've got sore feet.' The Possum[Pg 27] said hurriedly, 'We shall be late for that appointment', and they took their grindstone and off they went.

[Pg 27]

But when they were a safe distance away the Possum sang out: 'You'll repent this conduct. You'll repent bending a man's snout so that he can hardly see over it, let alone breathe through it with comfort', and the Wombat added, 'For shame, flapping a man with sore feet.'

'We laugh with scorn at threats,' said Bill, and he added as a warning—

'I don't repent a snout that's bent,

And if again I tap it,

Oh, with a clout I'll bend that snout

With force enough to snap it.'

and Sam added for the Wombat's benefit—

'I take no shame to fight the lame

When they deserve to cop it.

So do not try to pipe your eye,

Or with my flip I'll flop it.'

[Pg 28]

The puddin'-thieves disappeared over the hill and, as the evening happened to come down rather suddenly at that moment, Bill said, 'Business bein' over for the day, now's the time to set about makin' the camp fire.'

This was a welcome suggestion, for, as all travellers know, if you don't sit by a camp fire in the evening, you have to sit by nothing in the dark, which is a most unsociable way of spending your time. They found a comfortable nook under the hedge, where there were plenty of dry leaves to rest on, and there they built a fire, and put the billy on, and made tea. The tea and 

 Prev. P 13/80 next