"No," he said, "I have seen no such man. No such man has been to me!"
"I was afraid of it," said Harkness. "Yet we tracked him to the boundary, every yard, and we got on his tracks again just now near the home-paddock gate. I bet he's camping somewhere within a couple of miles; we must have another look while it's light. Beastly lot of sand you have from the home-paddock gate right up to the house!"
"We're built upon a sandhill, you see," said Rigden, with a wry look into the heavy yellow yard: "one track's pretty much like another in here, eh, Billy?"
The black tracker shook a woolly pate.
"Too muchee damn allasame," said he. "Try again longa gate."
"Yes," said the sergeant, "and we'll bring him here for the night when we catch him. You could lend us your travellers' hut, I suppose?"
"So long then, Mr. Rigden. Don't be surprised if you see us back to supper. I feel pretty warm."
And the sergeant used his spurs again, only to reign up suddenly and swing round in his saddle.
"Been about the place most of the afternoon?" he shouted.