But at the same moment Bob Bacon sprang in amongst the bushes, trampling them down, side by side with the black. "Where are you, mate?" cried Bacon, in a hoarse voice. "Here, lad, here!" And then with a deep groan the poor fellow of whom they were in search said reproachfully, "Thought you were going to leave me here to die." "Not likely," said Mark angrily. "Where are you hurt?" "That you, Mr Mark?" groaned the keeper. "Oh, all over, and I'm afraid my leg's broke." "Let me come," said the doctor. "Knives here: cut back some of these thorns. Now then, try to bear it, my lad," he continued, as he knelt beside the injured man, who was half invisible amongst the thick growth. "Oh!" groaned the keeper. "There, I will not hurt you more than I can help, but I must find where you are injured." "Oh!" groaned the man again. "Come, your leg's not broken. Yes, no doubt it hurts you, but it's only a sprain. Keep up your spirits. You are not going to die this time." "But I am hurt all over, sir. The bullocks trampled me: came all in a rush." "But how came you here, mate?" asked Dan, pausing from his busy task of slashing away at the undergrowth with the big sheath knife which he used for skinning and cutting up. "I dunno, mate. It all seems like a dream." "Like a dream?" said Mark, as he recalled his own awakening. "Yes, Mr Mark, sir. I was sitting on the watch there with my rifle across my knees, wondering how long it would be before daybreak, when all at once there was a big lion as had come up without a sound, looking straight at me." "Could you see him, mate?" asked Buck. "Only his eyes." "Why didn't you fire?" "Fire? Oh, I was too much skeart. I'll tell the truth about it. I was so frightened that I jumped up and ran, not knowing where I was going, for ever so far, and then I found by the trampling and bellowing that it was right into the way of the bullocks. Then before I knew where I was they knocked me down and the whole drove had gone over me, and when I got my senses again I crawled on here in the dark, and I suppose I swoonded away. That's all I know. Am I very bad, doctor?" "A man can't be trampled on by a drove of bullocks without being a good deal hurt," said the doctor. "We must carry him somehow to the waggons, or better still bring one of them past here. What do you think, Denham? Do you think you could inspan some of the bullocks and drag one of the waggons here?" "Oh, yes, sir, I daresay we can get together enough for that. I'll go back and see." "Yes, do, my man," said Sir James. "I will stay with the doctor, and with your help, Bacon, we will see what we can do." "That's right, sir," said Buck Denham. "Perhaps you two young gents wouldn't mind coming with me?" "I--" began Mark, and he stopped short, for the man gave him a peculiar look. "Yes, Buck, I'll come," he said, "and Dean will come too."