Page:The Aborigines of Victoria and Riverina.djvu/165

160 them on their return, they laid their wise, though albeit youthful heads together, with the view of devising some prompt means of ridding the nation of the foul-feeding fiend, from whom it had suffered so much, and so long.

Their cogitations resulted in the framing of a scheme which they deemed most feasible for the purpose, although, perhaps, the carrying of it out would entail considerable risk; this latter, however, they had patriotically determined to encounter, if found necessary. Their scheme was as follows:—

They were to contrive to reach the great yam plain unperceived by the wicked old ogre, when one of them was immediately to hide himself mid the tall yam stalks, whilst the other was most conspicuously to pretend to feed for some considerable time, after which (when he had seen that the wicked old fiend had observed him) he was to retire to some cosy corner, in close proximity to his friend, as though intending to take a quiet slumber, after his seemingly satisfactory meal; and then, when the unnatural old Ngarou came slyly up, intent upon procuring his coveted, and disgusting food, on a preconcerted signal being given by the dauntless Ngarou that was to pretend to feed, they were simultaneously to fall on the national foe, with the most deadly determination, nor fail in their arduous efforts for a moment, until Ngaroudom was freed from the foul-feeding monster; and as the foe to which they were thus to give battle was very old, and consequently very feeble, they doubted not but that the issue would be successful in every particular.