Now then, finish your breakfast: to-night you will sleep in your warm stable." The announcement made, of course, no impression upon the horses, which lowered their heads again directly, and went on cropping the succulent coarse grass, while Nic went on to the side of the pool, and began to undress, when his attention was taken by a sudden splash; and as he stood wondering he could dimly see something swimming about toward the other side.
"Must be a big water rat," muttered Nic, commencing to undress; and, confident that there was nothing likely to injure him, he plunged in, had his swim, crept out, rubbed, and was going on with his dressing again behind a clump of wattle scrub, when the splash excited his curiosity again, and turning his head cautiously, he peered down at the pool over which the pale grey light was now growing brighter.
For the first few moments he could see nothing; then a sinuous line of disturbed water showed him where something was swimming.
"'Tis a rat," he said to himself, "and those are ducks just on beyond it.

No, it isn't a rat: it's one of those things with the duck's bill that father was talking about.

I'll dress quickly and fetch the gun.

I might get two or three ducks for supper." The next moment he thought he would run as hard as he could to the waggon, and avoid being speared, but he did not stir, only stood in a stooping position staring wildly at' a black figure stealing along among the trees on the other side of the pool; and hardly had he realised this fact before another black appeared walking in the track of the first, and then' another and another.
Nic felt paralysed.

They might be dangerous, for they were all carrying spears, and were stealing up to the water in the most cautious way.
The next minute he could see at least a dozen, and lowering his head cautiously he dropped upon his knees well out of sight, and finished dressing before softly turning his head again to watch.
The blacks were gone; and, though relieved, the boy was puzzled, for he could not make out how they could have left, as there was the open country just beyond the water-hole, and hardly a bush that could form a hiding-place.
He could not have been deceived.