“I am glad,” he said, “for I was resting my back. I get up against a small tree like this and keep my back straight, and that seems to make it stronger and stiffer for ever so long.”
“Then take my advice, Penny; try another plan, my lad. You have grown too fast.”
“Yes, that’s what father always said,” replied Jack, beginning with a high squeak and rumbling off into a low bass.
“You are then naturally weak, and if I were you I should lie flat down upon my back every time we stopped. You will then get up refreshed more than you think for.”
“But you wouldn’t lie flat like that when you were eating your victuals, would you? I ain’t Jimmy.”
“No, but you could manage that,” I said; and Jack Penny nodded and lay down very leisurely, but only to spring up again most energetically and uttering a frightened yell.
Gyp and Jimmy uncoiled like a couple of loosened springs, the former to utter a series of angry barks, and the latter to spring up into the air suddenly.
“Where de bunyip—where de big bunyip? Jimmy kill um all along.”
He flourished his waddy wildly, and then followed Gyp, who charged into the wood as the doctor and I seized our guns, ready for action.
Then a fierce worrying noise took place for a few moments in amongst the bushes, and then Jimmy came bounding out, dragging a small snake by the tail, to throw it down and then proceed to batter its head once again with his waddy, driving it into the earth, though the reptile must already have ceased to exist.