"Who?" asked Mother, trembling slightly.

"THEY'RE IN THE WOOD!" he went on. "Ha, ha! I've got them. They'll
never get out; NEVER GET OUT!"

Mother fled, screaming. She ran inside and called the children. Sal
assisted her. They trooped in like wallabies--all but Joe. He was away
earning money. He was getting a shilling a week from Maloney, for chasing
cockatoos from the corn.

They closed and barricaded the doors, and Sal took down the gun, which
Mother made her hide beneath the bed. They sat listening, anxiously and
intently. The wind began to rise. A lump of soot fell from the chimney
into the fireplace--where there was no fire. Mother shuddered. Some more
fell. Mother jumped to her feet. So did Sal. They looked at each other
in dismay. The children began to cry. The chain for hanging the kettle
on started swinging to and fro. Mother's knees gave way. The chain
continued swinging. A pair of bare legs came down into the fireplace--they
were curled round the chain. Mother collapsed. Sal screamed, and ran to
the door, but could n't open it. The legs left the chain and dangled in
the air. Sal called "Murder!"

Her cry was answered. It was Joe, who had been over at Maloney's making
his fortune. He came to the rescue. He dropped out of the chimney and
shook himself. Sal stared at him. He was calm and covered from head to
foot with soot and dirt. He looked round and said, "Thought yuz could
keep me out, did'n'y'?" Sal could only look at him. "I saw yuz all run
in," he was saying, when Sal thought of Mother, and sprang to her. Sal
shook her, and slapped her, and threw water on her till she sat up and