that gave out a strong aromatic scent. The creeklet was here a chain of dark clear pools, the last hemmed in all round by rock, black and looking unfathomable. A sort of natural stair led to a higher plateau, and it was here that Pompo had laid the saddlebags and was building up a fire of brushwood for the making of the quart-pot tea.
The still place echoed with talk and laughter, and the sacred rock wallabies darted out of their holes, and made for the higher level and for the impenetrable scrub. Some of the party climbed above the plateau, and from here the sun could be seen, a golden flame, through the trees. Among these adventurous ones were Blake and Elsie. Frank, in his capacity of host, remained below with Mrs. Jem, and lifted off the quart pot and sugared and cooled the tea. Rose Garfit held one pint pot and he another, and backwards and forwards they poured the smoking beverage. Elsie did not care for quart-pot tea; she said that she liked the spring water better, and that she wanted to see if there were any late mulgams. Blake was of her opinion, and the two did find some untimely berries. They had climbed some fifty feet. Up here the hoya grew luxuriantly, and there were clusters of the waxen flowers sweet as honey, which Elsie gathered, and with which she pelted those below.
"Elsie, Elsie," Ina cried; "come down; you'll be losing yourselves up there, and we shall never get to the horses, and Mr. Hallett says the place is full of snakes."
But Elsie only laughed.
"Why should I climb down to climb up again? We've got to get over the ridge before we find the horses. Mr. Blake will look after the snakes. You are to take care of me and show me the way," she added demurely, to Blake, "though we have agreed to be enemies."
"Are we enemies?" he said in an odd dreamy way. "Let us suspend hostilities then for a little while. No, I don't think we be enemies."
Elsie turned from the precipice, and moved about among the shrubs and plants, gathering a flower here and there. There were many that she had never seen before, peculiar
