approached with a majestic step, as if treading on the necks of emperors, and taking the hat from his head, which was literally plastered with fat and ornamented with kangaroos' teeth tied to the hair in little bunches, placed it respectfully upon that of its owner, and then, by way of fitting it properly, subjected him to the process known in England as "bonneting." — "Berry good hat," he said,—"black fellow only look—not teal." Weevel stood transfixed, whilst Hugh and Slinger were convulsed with laughter.
"What for you laugh?" said Benbo—"look at my coat," and he drew himself up with all the dignity of injured rank. He evidently expected some homage to be paid to his outward man; a failing not altogether peculiar to savages.
Having loaded the dray with their luggage and left the driver in charge, the party proceeded to the store, where Mr. Binns was ready to receive them. Mr. Weevel was introduced to the worthy merchant, but he was ill at ease, lest the unfortunate state of his trousers should be discovered. The three accompanied the proprietor of the store to a portion of it which was partitioned off, and where they were introduced to Mrs. Binns, a lady-like person, and one evidently unused to the kind of life she was then leading; she received the visitors kindly, apologised for the dearth of accommodation, and requested them to be seated on divers boxes and large cases with which the floor was covered. At every breeze, little jets of fine sand poured in with the sunshine, through the interstices of the weather-boards. Had there been no apertures for windows, the light, from a hundred imperfections in the woodwork, would have been sufficiently strong for most purposes. The store was deficient of any flooring boards, and the ground over which it was built was covered with a yellow sickly-looking grass very pleasant to walk on, and reminding Mr. Binns, as he
