The next act was to cremate the slain, which was speedily done. After this the group proceeded to follow the track along which the other snares were secreted. The very first trap contained a dog. It was set in the centre of a soft depression, at the edge of the scrub belt on the farther side. The dog had dragged the trap about three hundred yards, when the "anchor," fouling in some saplings, his retreat was stopped. The beast was immediately brained and scalped, and the body flung into a clump of bushes.
There was still another victim. The farthest out trap was gone. Nothing was to be seen but the trap-hole. George, however, was soon upon the trail. The country here was fairly open, and offered little obstruction to the determined dog. The track led on and on with little deviation until a course of three miles or so had been traversed. It now curved outward and down toward a patch of scrub. Nosey suddenly stopped and pointed to the ground.
"What's up, George?" exclaimed Joe, who stood nearest the trapper.
"Look an' see fur y'reself."
Bending over, Joe saw in a sandy patch the deep impress of the toes of a large bird.
"I can't make it out. What in thunder is it? Far too big for a crow; bigger even than an eagle or a bustard."
"As big as two eagles, young mutton-head," declared the old tough. "Tell 'im, Sandy."
"Why, you greeney; that's an emu track!"
"Emu!" shouted Joe in great excitement. "It's the first time I ever saw an emu track. What an enormous foot he must have."
"Ye'd know it, me boy, if ivver ye got a kick," grunted the trapper. "I've seen them break a dog's leg like a carrot."