The company did so while Sam refilled the glasses. "Here's to old Squally the I-talian. Otherwise Lion Comique of the Riverina district of Noo South Wales. Long life an' 'ealth to 'em--hip, hip, hurray!" Sam made the speech and led the cheers. His late antagonist and he clinked glasses and shook hands; then Sam pointed to the heap of moleskin and Crimean shirting, in the far corner of the bar, and lowered his voice. "You've not seen him at his best," he insisted. "The beggar was too blooming drunk to start with." "I'll see him when he's sober," said the drover grimly. "But he can act!" "My oath! Sober _or_ drunk. Hullo, here _is_ a joke; blowed if that new chum hasn't fetched Mr. Gray to have a look at old Squally, just like he did before!" And the two men paused to watch the rabbit-inspector, who had entered without looking their way, kneel down beside the prostrate Pasquale, and bend over him with blue spectacles intent. He examined the punctures on the left instep; he stooped and sucked them with his lips. His next act was to raise one eyelid after another; his last, to lay a weather-beaten hand upon the Italian's heart; and all this was done in a dead silence which had fallen upon the place with the entry of Mr. Gray. "Long life to 'im again," murmured the drover, emptying his glass; but Sam Eccles neither heard nor answered him. At length the inspector arose, and turned towards them with his expressionless glasses. "There was no nonsense about it this time, Sam. It was a snake right enough, and a coral-snake into the bargain." Sam gave a gasping cry. "But if he's drunk----" "He isn't; he's dead." * * * * * In his own corner the Gol-gol boundary-rider lay snoring through it all, a dead snake still curled upon his breast. A SPIN OF THE COIN Unfortunately the young man was not by any means the genius he looked, with his pale, keen face and hungry eyes: or fortunately, as some may say: since there is now no occasion to grieve for him on national grounds. For the rest, he had none so near to him as to provoke your sympathy with the living, being either unable or else unwilling to claim any sort of kinship with others of his name. In fine he was without a friend in the world, save one only, who swore to wait for him, if need be, till she became an old, old woman. We will call him Saumerez, and his friend Sapphira.