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diff --git a/25524.txt b/25524.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7597888 --- /dev/null +++ b/25524.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4586 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Young Berringtons, by W.H.G. Kingston + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Young Berringtons + The Boy Explorers + +Author: W.H.G. Kingston + +Illustrator: JMcLR + +Release Date: May 19, 2008 [EBook #25524] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE YOUNG BERRINGTONS *** + + + + +Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England + + + + +The Young Berringtons, by W.H.G. Kingston. + +________________________________________________________________________ +This is quite a short book that had been published in parts in a +children's magazine. One branch of the Berrington family had been +established in Australia for a long time, and had built up quite a +profitable station. Another branch of the family had been living in a +wealthy style in London, when their business failed, and they had just +enough money left to make their way to Australia, to join their cousins. + +They find that life is not going to be all that easy. A mob of original +inhabitants were in the neighbourhood, and were threatening them. Who +can blame them? A terrible storm comes, and blows the roof off the +house. Then the river floods, much higher than it had ever done before, +and the house is destroyed. So is much of the stock. The decision is +made to look further inland for a better place to start a new station. +That is the part of the story that gives the book its second title, "The +Boy Explorers." They do find a suitable place, but are once again +attacked by aborigines, whom they beat off with great difficulty. + +Eventually they make peace with the aborigines, and all begins once more +to go well. The various people, adults and children, are well drawn, +especially two rather tiresome ones: Hector, one of the children brought +from Britain, and Mrs Berrington, the wife of the original settler, who +has a dreadful habit of fainting every time anything stressful occurs. + +________________________________________________________________________ +THE YOUNG BERRINGTONS, BY W.H.G. KINGSTON. + + + +CHAPTER ONE. + +THE YOUNG COLONISTS INTRODUCED--EXPECTANT RELATIVES--IN SEARCH OF "OLD +BOLTER"--A DINNER IN THE BUSH--BOLTER TRIES TO ESCAPE--ENCOUNTER +BLACKS--BOLTER BROUGHT BACK--SANDY MACDOUGAL. + +"I wonder what sort of fellows these English cousins of ours will turn +out?" exclaimed Harry Berrington, as he rode up alongside his elder +brother Paul. "Judging by their photographs, which Uncle Frank sent us +out last year, I have an idea that they are mighty fine young gentlemen, +who will be apt to turn up their noses at us colonial `corn-stalks.'" + +"Hector and Reginald are good-looking fellows, I should think, and wear +fine clothes but beyond that--whether they are dark or fair, have blue +eyes and pink cheeks, or whether they can ride, and shoot, swim, and +play cricket, or can only dance and sing, or draw, or suchlike girlish +things--I have not the slightest notion," answered Paul. "We shall, +however, soon know; for, according to the letter father got yesterday +their ship ought to reach Moreton Bay in the course of three or four +weeks; and I hope that I may have the chance of going down to Ipswich to +meet them." + +"I don't think you will be so lucky," observed Harry. "I heard father +say that he intended going himself, as he expected poor Aunt Augusta +would require a good deal of attention, as she has been accustomed to +live luxuriously, and has never done anything for herself. From a +remark he made, I suspect that both the boys and girls have been brought +up in the same fashion. Although they may get into our ways at last, +they won't like our style of life at all when they first arrive." + +"They must learn to like it, somehow or other," observed Paul. "Poor +Uncle Frank! I really pity him; he has lost nearly all his fortune; and +to be obliged, at his time of life, to begin to work hard! And work +hard he must, like the rest of us." + +"Yes, indeed; I have heard mother say that they lived in a large house +in London, with butlers, footmen, housekeeper, nurses, and all sorts of +servants; and had carriages and horses, and saw lots of company," said +Harry. + +"They'll not have much of that out here; they will have to be their own +servants, or consider themselves fortunate if they can hire an Irish +girl, or get a black _gin_ to do the rough work. We must try and help +them, however, as much as we can, until they get accustomed to our +ways," observed Paul. "And Mary, and Janet, and Lizzie will, I am sure, +do their best to save them trouble." + +"Of course, we all will, in reality; but I don't think I shall be able +to help laughing when I see the exquisite Mr Hector and his brother +Reginald attempting to round up cattle, riding after stray horses, or +milking cows. And there are two other boys--Edgar and Albert. I wonder +what they will be like; they are about the same ages as Bob and Tommy, +and if they are as great pickles they will manage to lead each other +into all manner of scrapes; but we shall have rare fun with the girls if +they have got any life in them." + +The two speakers were fine, active-looking lads, sons of Captain Hugh +Berrington, who had settled in the colony of Queensland a short time +before Paul, the eldest, was born. They might have been known as young +gentlemen by the tone of their voices rather than by their costume, +which consisted of a red serge shirt, loose trousers fastened at the +waist with a leathern belt, large boots coming up to their knees, and +broad-brimmed cabbage-tree hats. Each carried in his hand a heavy whip +with a long thick thong. The elder, in addition, had a brace of pistols +in his belt, which weapons were necessary in case of the sudden +appearance of any strange natives. They were mounted on strong, active +little horses, which evidently got but a small amount of grooming. + +The lads had just left their home, which was situated on the banks of +the Burnett river. It is worthy of a short description. The +house, though built entirely of wood, and on one floor, was a +substantial-looking building, containing ten rooms, with a broad +verandah running entirely round it. The frame-work was of rough timber, +and the walls were composed of slabs, which are boards split out of the +iron-bark or blue gum-tree. The roof was covered with shingles, or +tiles of wood, split like the slabs and sawn to the required size. + +Bound the homestead was a field of Indian corn, an orchard full of +fruit-trees of various descriptions, a kitchen-garden supplying all +sorts of vegetables, and a smaller space devoted to flowers, most of +which would have been highly prized in an English conservatory. There +were several out-buildings beyond the cultivated ground, with yards and +pens for cattle and sheep. + +Altogether, Stratton was considered a very flourishing little homestead, +of which the owner was justly proud. The sun had scarcely risen, when, +after a hurried breakfast, the two young Berringtons had set out on an +expedition in search of "Old Bolter," one of their horses, well +so-called, who--no unusual circumstance--was reported missing. They had +a difficult task before them, for Old Bolter was a cunning rogue, and by +this time had probably got far away into the bush; but to find him they +were determined, as he was wanted for work, and could do twice as much +as any other horse when he chose. They were now, as fast as the +numerous trees would allow them, cantering forward through a scrub, +extending for some distance from the banks of the river. Familiar as +was the scenery to them, Paul, who had an eye for the picturesque, could +not help remarking the beauty of the rich tropical vegetation amid which +they were passing. The sun, now rapidly rising behind their backs, +threw a bright glow on the dark-green branches of the huge fig-trees, +the feathery leaves of the cabbage and other palms, and here and there, +tall pines or red cedars, towering above the mass of foliage, with vines +and creepers of many hues hanging to the boughs in wreaths and festoons, +or extending to the ground like loose ropes from the rigging of a ship. + +They soon got clear of the scrub, for Old Bolter would certainly not be +hiding within it, for the best of reasons--not a blade of grass grew on +the leaf-covered ground. They now entered the more open country, called +forest land, in contradistinction to the scrub. Here, though gum-trees +of vast size towered to the sky, they generally stood far apart--their +curiously-shaped leaves, with their edges turned upwards, allowing the +sun's rays to penetrate to the grass-covered ground. Paul and Harry now +began to look out eagerly for the runaway. There were one or two places +in which he had before been found, and these they had settled first to +visit. They were gullies, or dry creeks, bordered thickly by trees, +beneath the shade of which he could stand during the heat of the day, +and, while whisking off the flies with his long tail, meditate at his +leisure. Three of these places were visited, but Old Bolter was not +there. The water-holes in their neighbourhood were dry, which would +account for the absence of the knowing old steed. + +"He has gone to Myall Creek, depend upon it," observed Paul; "we shall +find him in the scrub thereabouts." + +Harry agreed that his brother was very likely correct in his surmise, +and, the ground being open, they again rode forward. Harry especially +delighted in a hard gallop. By getting over the ground at an early +hour, they might rest during the heat of the day under the shade of the +myall trees--from which the creek took its name--and employ themselves +in shaping a few stock whip-handles, which are made from its fragrant +wood; they would then recommence their search for Old Bolter. Once +having found him, there would be no stopping until they had got him safe +back into the paddock. An hour's hard riding brought them up to Myall +Creek, within the dry bed of which they hoped to find Bolter, provided +he had not discovered their approach, when to a certainty he would be +off to some other place of concealment. They had prudently brought +provisions with them, and, having securely hobbled their horses so that +they might feed close to them, they sat down beneath the shade of a tree +on the edge of the scrub and ate their dinners. They then cut some +sticks from the myall trees suited for their purpose, and, while they +sat resting in the shade, employed themselves in shaping the wood into +the required size with their knives. + +"Now," cried Paul, jumping up, "we must hunt up Old Bolter." + +They quickly caught their steeds, and, unhobbling them, mounted. + +"You go round the north side, and I will take the south of the bush," +said Paul. "If you see Bolter, cooey to me, and take care that he does +not make off westward, or we shan't get back to-night--or to-morrow, +perhaps." + +"No fear about that. I'll head him if I catch sight of his ears, and +take good care to turn him towards you." + +Harry accordingly rode away to the northward, while Paul directed his +course round the southern end of the bush, and then circling round, +reached the west side of the creek, in the dry bed of which he hoped to +find Bolter. He examined the ground carefully, expecting to find some +track of the missing horse, but not a sign could he see. Half an hour +or more elapsed, when he heard Harry's shrill cooey; but, from the +faintness of the sound, he knew that his brother must be a long way off. +Putting spurs to his horse he galloped forward, expecting every moment +to see Bolter dash out of the creek and make for the west. At last he +caught sight of Harry, and directly afterwards, from some thick bushes, +out sprang Bolter, and, as had been expected, made off towards the west, +just midway between the two lads. + +"After him!" cried Paul, and turning their horses' heads they gave them +the rein. The animals seemed to know the object of the chase, and were +eager as their riders to overtake the truant. + +The ground was rough and broken, with here and there trees lying across +it, blown down by a whirlwind; but they scarcely stopped Bolter, who +seemed to take an especial pleasure in leaping over them, and leading +his pursuers along the worst ground he could find. The other animals +were, however, quite as eager to come up with Bolter as he was to +escape, and exerted themselves to the utmost. Should he once get out of +sight, as there appeared every probability of his doing, days might pass +before he could again be discovered. They were approaching another +scrub, which was, however, sufficiently open to allow the horses to pass +through. + +"If he once gets in there, our game will be up!" cried Paul. "On, +Harry, on! we must head him before he reaches it." + +"Very well to sing out, `On, on!' My beast is doing his best, and +Bolter doesn't intend to be caught," cried Harry. + +That Bolter would escape seemed very likely. He had got within a few +yards of the scrub, when he suddenly wheeled round, almost on his +haunches, and galloped back the way he had come. Scarcely had he done +so, when a black figure started up from behind some bushes, and hurled a +long lance at him, but the weapon merely grazed his side, and stuck in +the ground. + +"Back, back! the blacks! There may be more of them!" cried Paul. + +Harry had seen the native, and pulled up as his brother spoke. They +were just in time, for a dozen or more black fellows, showing +themselves, sprang forward poising their spears ready to hurl at the +young horsemen. Old Bolter, fully comprehending the danger which he and +his owners were in, instead of going over the bad ground took that to +the left, allowing Paul and Harry to ride up close to him on either +flank. Nevertheless, he kept his eyes about him, evidently intending to +make off in some other direction if he could. The three horses now tore +along over the ground, the nimble-footed blacks, with their spears in +hand, following them for some distance. At length, however, Paul, +looking back, found that they had got well ahead of the natives. It was +important not to be overtaken, for they evidently belonged to some +hostile tribe who intended mischief. Bolter, who seemed to be aware +that there was no longer any danger from the blacks, made two or three +attempts to escape; but Paul and Harry reminding him of his duty with +their stock whips, he at length made straight as an arrow for the +station, over the very course they would have chosen. Nothing stopped +him. Across the country he galloped, with the two riders on either +side. As they approached the yard they shouted to Sandy Macdougal, the +overseer, who, fortunately, was close at hand, to open the gate, and in +rushed Old Bolter. + +"We had a hard matter to find him, and he would have got away from us +after all if a number of black fellows had not tried to spear him," +observed Paul. "We must be on our guard against them, or they will be +doing some mischief." + +"You've indeed done vera weel to bring the brute back so soon," said +Sandy, as he carefully closed the gate, not to give Bolter another +chance of escaping. "It would be wise to send over to Ogilvie to let +the police know that there are strange blacks in the neighbourhood. +Better to prevent the mischief than punish their puir bodies after it's +committed, and as they attacked you, there's sufficient reason for +warning them to take their departure." + +The lads having unsaddled their horses, turned them into the paddock, +and, accompanied by Sandy, repaired to the house. On the way the +overseer inquired more particularly about their meeting with the blacks. + +"It's a mercy they didna spear you. Praise the Lord for His goodness, +lads; He always watches over those who trust Him. Dinna fail to do +that." + +Sandy Macdougal was an old follower of Captain Berrington. He had +accompanied him from ship to ship as his coxswain; and when the captain +retired from the service, and obtained the allotment of land on which he +finally settled in Australia, Sandy, though he might have obtained a +pension by serving a year or two longer at sea, insisted on accompanying +him. While the captain was going through the arduous work of settling, +Sandy was like his right hand. When the old sailor might have set up a +farm of his own he declined doing so, preferring to serve his old +commander in the capacity of overseer; and most faithfully did he +discharge his trust. + + + +CHAPTER TWO. + +JOURNEY TO MEET THE BERRINGTONS FROM ENGLAND--MRS HUGH BERRINGTON AND +HER FAMILY--MR HAYWARD, THE TUTOR--HARRY RETURNS--PREPARATIONS--THE +ARRIVAL. + +The drays for the intended journey were packed, and the horses put to. +The captain stood ready, booted and spurred. Harry, to his great +delight, was to accompany his father. Paul would much have liked to go, +but not the slightest sign of disappointment did he allow himself to +exhibit; indeed, he was justly proud of having the responsibility, with +the aid of Sandy, of looking after the family. + +The drays were not at all like the cumbersome vehicles which are known +under that name in England. They were merely large, strongly-built +carts on two wheels, drawn by three, four, or five horses, as the nature +of the country might require; though, on a smooth road, one could drag +them. Old Bolter might have suspected that he would be wanted when he +ran off, for he was put into the heaviest. They were now chiefly loaded +with wool and other produce, and with a few articles the travellers +required for their journey. On the return journey they would be fitted +in a very different way--with canvas tilts to keep out the sun or rain, +while in the inside goods were to be packed, easy chairs, or piles of +bedding, and cushions for the accommodation of the ladies and young +children. Besides the horses for the drays, four others were taken, in +case the new arrivals should wish to ride. They were steady animals, +not addicted to following Old Bolter's example. The drays having been +sent on ahead, the captain and Harry, wishing the loved ones at Stratton +good-bye, mounted their horses, and quickly overtook them. The captain +felt no anxiety about the blacks, as Sandy had given notice to the +police of their threatened attack on the young Berringtons, and a party +had been sent out, under an experienced officer, to drive them away. + +Now that her husband was fairly off to meet his brother's family, Mrs +Hugh Berrington began to realise the fact that they were coming, and +actively commenced making preparations for their reception. She was a +motherly, active, cheerful little woman, who never, by any chance, lost +her temper, even under the most vexatious circumstances, and always saw +things on the bright side. + +Her girls were very like her in many respects--hearty, merry creatures, +with plenty of good sense, not only ready to work, but absolutely hating +idleness. Mary, who was older than Paul, took somewhat after her +father, a tall, handsome girl, though she did not think about the +matter; nor did any one else, because they loved her for her good +qualities. Janet and Lizzie were very like their mother; and Effie was +a fair-haired, blue-eyed little damsel, not yet five years old, though +she, like her sisters, could assume a sedate air, and help in household +matters in all sorts of ways, besides looking after the pet animals. +Rob, who came next to Janet, was a sturdy little chap, courageous as a +young lion. No pain could make him cry out, and he could already ride +after the cattle with as much boldness as his elder brothers. Tommy, +the youngest, it must be acknowledged, was inclined to be a pickle. +Effie patronised him, and did her best to keep him out of mischief, and +he, in most instances, followed her precepts; though, as yet, he had +done very little towards making himself useful, nor had he made any +great strides in book-learning. + +The captain and Mrs Berrington had felt the difficulty of educating +their children, and had resolved to send the elder boys and girls to a +school at Sydney or Melbourne, when the captain, while on a journey, +happened to stop at a shepherd's hut towards night to obtain shelter +from a storm which was coming on. The hut-keeper was a rough-looking +fellow, and the captain fully expected to find the shepherd the same +description of person. The sheep having been folded, the shepherd +entered the hut. What, then, was Captain Berrington's surprise to find +himself addressed in a tone and manner which showed that the speaker was +a gentleman and a person of education, as he proved by his conversation, +while the small but well-chosen library on a shelf above his bunk, and a +copy of Horace which he took from his pocket, showed that the rough life +he led did not prevent him from still indulging in the pleasures of +literature. + +He had gone through his course at the university, and had intended +entering one of the learned professions, when he was obliged to visit +Australia for his health. During his absence from home, he heard that +every penny of the property he possessed was lost; and unable, after +frequent attempts, to obtain employment in the cities, he had, as a last +resource, been induced to go into the bush and turn shepherd, hoping +ultimately, by the knowledge he would gain, to be able to take some +superior situation on an estate. He, however, confessed that he was +heartily weary of the life which, it was evident, was rendered doubly +disagreeable by the character of his mate, although he uttered no +complaint against the man. The term of service for which he had engaged +was just about to expire, and Captain Berrington, much pleased with him, +invited him, as soon as he should be at liberty, to come to Stratton. +In the meantime he made all the inquiries in his power about Mr +Hayward, and was satisfied of the truth of the account he gave of +himself. Mr Martin Hayward was not only a scholar and a gentleman, but +was a fair artist, and possessed considerable musical talent; he was, +moreover, a true and enlightened Christian. He had spent about a month +at Stratton, when Captain Berrington made him an offer to act as tutor +to his children. This he had eagerly accepted, and had faithfully +fulfilled his trust, never showing the slightest inclination to resign +it. The boys were very fond of him, and, for the few hours they were +every day engaged in their studies, they worked most diligently. He +also afforded Mrs Berrington considerable help in instructing the +girls, so that they were fully as well educated, at all events, as the +generality of young ladies. + +Mrs Hugh Berrington received a letter from her husband, saying that his +brother Frank and family had arrived, including a Miss Emily Saville, +the younger sister of Mrs Berrington, and that they proposed setting +out directly the ladies should have recovered the effects of the +sea-voyage. The letter had been some days coming; no time was to be +lost, the party might quickly follow. Mrs Hugh and the girls were busy +from morning to night making preparations for the reception of their +relatives. Mr Hayward insisted on putting up a hut for himself near +that of the overseer, in order that his room might be devoted to their +use; and Paul, answering for Harry, agreed to follow his example. Even +then it would require pretty close packing to accommodate the two +families. + +All preparations had been made, and Mrs Hugh Berrington began to wish +that her relatives would arrive and terminate the period of suspense. + +It was nearly two months since the drays had started, when one evening, +just as Paul had returned from stocking the cattle, and was on his way +home, with his saddle on his arm, he caught sight of a person on +horseback galloping towards him. + +"It must be Harry!" he cried. "No--yes--it is him! He'll bring us +news." + +Harry soon came up, and as he threw himself from his steed and shook +hands with his brother, exclaimed, "They'll be here soon after dark, and +father sent me on that mother might have supper ready, and be prepared +for them." + +"What sort of people are they? How do you like them?" asked Paul. + +"As to that, if we take them in the lot, the less said about them the +better. Uncle Frank's a fine fellow, and father seems very glad to have +him; but Aunt Augusta--well, you'll see her when she comes. She wishes +herself home again, and so do Evelina and Adela, I suspect. The younger +boys are jolly little fellows; but Hector--we shall have to break him +in--he's just what we thought he'd be. Reginald is more likely to take +soon to our ways; he's a manly sort of fellow, and there's some fun in +him. However, you will soon be able to judge for yourself about them +all; only there's one thing--we must not let Mr Hector lord it over us. +If he attempts it, we must take the shine out of him." + +Before Harry had told Paul half of what he wanted to know they reached +home, when, as may be supposed, the whole household was aroused into a +state of the greatest activity. + +At last the beds were made, the supper-table was laid, the lamps were +lighted, and all was ready. Mrs Berrington and her daughters had sat +down, and taken up their work. Two of them had attempted to read, but +found that impossible just then. Biddy was watching over the pots and +pans in the kitchen. The boys were at the front door, now and then +running along the road to listen, when the cracking of whips, the tramp +of horses, and the sound of wheels was heard. + +"Here they come! here they come!" cried the boys, in chorus. + +Paul and Harry lighted their lanterns. "That's Uncle Frank," exclaimed +the latter, as a tall, gentlemanly-looking man rode up alongside their +father. + +Mrs Hugh Berrington came out to receive them. Greetings were over by +the time the first dray drew up at the door. The captain and Mrs +Berrington assisted a lady to descend, and carried her in their arms +into the house. Two young ladies were next helped out, who appeared to +take very little notice of any one, until Mary and Janet, hurrying +forward, kissed them affectionately, and welcomed them to Stratton, when +they led them into the sitting-room. + +"That's Aunt Augusta, and those two Evelina and Adela," whispered Harry. +"And here comes Sybil, the youngest; a jolly little bird, isn't she? +Then Gertrude, Edgar, and Albert are with their Aunt Emily in the other +dray. I shouldn't be surprised if Mr Hector were there too, for I +don't see him on horseback; but here comes Reginald--he'll want to be +introduced, or he'll not speak to you," and Harry laughed. "Here, +Reginald, old fellow, this is my brother Paul, and these are Rob and +Tommy," exclaimed Harry, as a fine-looking lad rode up and, dismounting, +shook hands with his cousins. + +The second dray now drove up, and Hector, a delicate-looking youth, was +the first to get out, stretching himself and yawning as he did so. + +A very nice-looking young lady, whom the children called "Aunt Emily," +followed; and then Gertrude, Edgar, and Albert, of whom little could be +known, as they did not utter a word, were lifted out. + +"Here, lend a hand and help us, you fellows!" said Paul to his cousins, +as he and Harry went to assist their father and Mr Berrington, who, +with their tutor and Sandy, were engaged in unloading the drays. + +Reginald at once came forward, but Hector, without replying, sauntered +into the house. + +The articles as they were taken out were piled up round the walls of the +rooms, leaving but little space to move about. Mr Hayward at once went +back to his hut, telling Paul and Harry that he was ready for them, and +that there would be a bed for one of his cousins if he wished to come +up. It was some time after the ladies had been shown their rooms, +before they made their appearance at the supper-table--Mrs Berrington +leaning on her husband's arm, the elder girls following, having changed +their travelling dresses for evening costume, such as was not often seen +in the bush. Their cousins, who wore their usual plain dress, looked at +them with no slight astonishment. Hector came in shortly afterwards, +and took his seat without speaking. + +"I am afraid that you must be very tired," remarked Mrs Hugh to her +sister-in-law. + +"Yes, indeed; I wonder that I have survived it coming over those +dreadful mountains--sufficient to shake the nerves of the strongest, and +mine are sensitive to a degree," was the answer. + +"A few days of quiet will set you all to rights," observed the captain. +"Your girls do not appear to be the worse for it, though Hector looks +somewhat knocked up." + +"Ah, yes! he takes after me," said Mrs Berrington. + +"I'm rather more bored than tired," observed Hector. "I didn't imagine +that such a country as this was to be found in the Queen's dominions." + +"It's the finest country in the world, old fellow," said Harry, from the +other end of the table. "You'll learn to like it in time. So cheer up, +we'll soon make a man of you." + +Hector turned a disdainful glance towards the speaker. + +"Harry, do not let your tongue run loose," observed his father, though +with no very angry glance. + +The conversation soon became general, Miss Emily Saville doing her best +to make amends for her sister's silence. She and her nieces expressed +themselves delighted with the delicious fruits offered them, and the +evening passed by more pleasantly than might have been expected. +Reginald accepted his cousins' invitation to accompany them to their +quarters, thus enabling Hector to share his room with Rob and Edgar. It +is not necessary to particularise how the rest of the family were stowed +away. + + + +CHAPTER THREE. + +EARLY RISING--MILKING COWS--HOW TO "BAIL-UP" A COW--VICIOUS ANIMALS-- +HECTOR CHARGED, AND TAKES TO FLIGHT--REGINALD AND HIS PAIL UPSET BY A +CALF--TRIES AGAIN, AND SUCCEEDS. + +"Rouse up, you fellow, and come and learn how to milk cows!" exclaimed +Harry, as, the second morning after the arrival of the party, he, just +at the break of day, rushed into his cousin Hector's room. Hector had +done nothing the previous day but sit, rod in hand, on the bank of the +river, attempting to catch some fish. He now yawned and stretched +himself. + +"It cannot be time to get up yet--it is scarcely daylight." + +"There's light enough to milk the cows, and the cool of the morning is +the best time," answered Harry. "Your Aunt Emily and the rest of the +girls are there already." + +"I'll get up presently, when I've had a little more sleep," said Hector, +yawning again. + +"No, no; you've got to learn how to do it, and if you don't begin now, +you never will. You must learn how to do everything, or you cannot +become a prosperous settler. I'll not leave you until I see you up." + +Hector reluctantly, and in no good humour, began to dress. As he +intended finishing his toilet after his return, he was soon ready. + +"Come along! Sandy, Paul, and Reginald are driving in the cows; though +we have a few which won't come up to `the bail,' as they will soon be +taught to do; and it will be some fun to you to see how we manage +things." + +"You don't expect me to milk cows?" said Hector, as they walked along. + +"Indeed I do, if you are to have milk for breakfast; it is what young +hands like you and the girls are most suited for." + +"I am older than you are," exclaimed Hector, looking indignantly at +Harry. + +"Older in years, but younger in this country. Why, my little brother +Rob is of more use than you'll be for months to come, if you don't look +sharp about it." + +"It's a horrid country, to say the best of it; I wish I hadn't come out +here," exclaimed Hector. + +"It is my country," answered Harry, "and I'll not have it abused. It is +as fine a country as any in the world, or finer, I believe." + +"You call that rocky range, which took us three days to get over, a fine +country!" + +"Ah! that's nothing! you must take the rough with the smooth. I dare +say there are quite as many rugged places in England." + +"From what I have seen of it, all I can say is, I intend to leave your +beautiful country as soon as papa gets back some of his property. I +hope to obtain a commission in the Guards." + +"You'd better try and get a commission in our Black-guards," answered +Harry, laughing. "They are a very useful body of men, and most of their +officers are gallant fellows." + +"Bosh!" cried Hector, who felt too indignant to make any other reply. + +He, nevertheless, accompanied Harry to the stock-yard, where they found +Mary and Janet with their milk-pails, and their two elder cousins and +Miss Saville. Within the yard into which the cattle were being driven, +on one side, were two strong posts, about five feet high, with a +cross-piece on the top and another at the bottom, with a strong rail +between them, which could be moved from side to side and fixed by means +of a peg. Just behind this, but outside the yard, was a windlass, with +a rope passing between the two posts. + +"Do you see those posts?" asked Harry; "that's where we milk our cows." + +As he spoke he patted a cow on the back, and crying, "Bail-up!" she +walked quickly up and put her head between the posts, where it was so +secured by the rail that she could not withdraw it. Taking one of the +pails, and seating himself on a stool close by, he commenced the +operation, which, to Hector's intense astonishment, he performed in a +thoroughly efficient manner. Other cows walked up without the slightest +trouble, and were milked in the same way by his sisters. + +"Now, girls, you had better clear out of the yard!" shouted Paul; "we +have two or three somewhat restive animals to deal with." + +Mary and Janet, whose pails were by this time full, followed their +brother's advice, and, accompanied by Miss Saville and their cousins, +made their way out of the yard; while Mr Hayward, who summoned Harry +and Reginald to his assistance, stood ready at the windlass. Paul took +hold of the rope, which was unwound, with a noose at the end of it fixed +to a long stick, and approached one of the cows just before driven into +the yard. Immediately he attempted to throw the noose over her head she +swerved, now on one side, now on the other, taking care never to put her +nose to the ground. At last, however, Paul succeeded in throwing the +noose over her horns, when he drew it tight by a jerk. + +"Haul away!" he shouted; and round went the windlass, the cow, in the +meantime, making every effort to free herself, leaping and bounding, +throwing up her head and trying to shake off the rope. But all was in +vain. Sandy sounded his stock whip at her flanks, now and then giving +her a touch to remind her that it was at hand, until gradually she was +drawn up to the posts and her head securely fixed, when Sandy approached +with the milk-pail. + +"I'm not going to trust you yet, my lady," he said, fastening her +hind-legs up on the side on which he was about to take his seat. This +done, he began the operation of milking. He had almost drawn as much as +he expected to obtain, when the cunning cow, finding that she could not +kick over the pail, came down on her side; and Sandy, with difficulty, +made his escape from under her with the loss of the contents of his +pail. + +There were two other cows to be milked, which had been standing by +watching attentively the treatment received by their companion. Paul, +taking the rope, approached one of them. The creature seemed to have +made up her mind not to be milked, and as he drew near she whisked round +with wonderful rapidity, now and then making as if she would run at him; +but Paul was far too active to be caught. Suddenly her eyes fell on +Hector, who had been ashamed to leave the yard, although greatly longing +to do so. Putting down her head, with a loud bellow she rushed towards +him. + +"Run for it! Spring on one side, and then make a bolt for the palings. +I'll help you over!" shouted Harry. + +Hector, however, was too much frightened to follow the advice. Instead +of facing the cow and watching what she was about to do, he turned round +and ran across the slippery yard; before he got far, as might have been +expected, down he fell. The next instant the cow would have been upon +him, had not Paul, who had been following with the noose, succeeded +dexterously in slipping it over her horns, when the windlass being +turned rapidly round, she found herself brought up by a violent jerk. +In vain she endeavoured to get free. The hide rope which had caught her +was strong enough, as Sandy affirmed, "to hold a seventy-four," and she +was quickly, in spite of her bellowings and kickings, hauled up to "the +bail;" while Hector, much frightened and excessively angry at his +accident, picked himself up, and ran to the paling towards which Harry +was beckoning him. + +Sandy took care on this occasion not to be caught by the cow, and +managed to take all the milk he required. Several others were brought +up in the same fashion. Two who had been looking on, seeing that, +whatever they might do, they would have to submit at last, walked up +quietly and poked their heads into "the bail." + +"I should like to try and milk a cow," exclaimed Reginald, who felt +ambitious to imitate his cousins' example and make himself useful. + +"We have two more heifers to milk, and you shall try; but I don't think +you will succeed at first," said Paul. + +Reginald was determined to make an attempt. As the heifer showed no +great inclination to submit to the process--being accompanied by her +calf--she was caught by the horns, quickly dragged up to "the bail," and +leg-roped. Here she stood quietly enough while Paul stroked her, patted +her back, and scratched her about the ears. + +"Now, Reginald!" cried Paul, "get your stool and milk-pail, and try what +you can do." Neither Paul nor his cousin had observed that the calf-- +only a few weeks old--which had remained on the other side of the yard, +had been stamping and pawing the ground, and exhibiting other signs of +indignation at seeing its mother made captive. + +Reginald, with sleeves tucked up and eager face, commenced trying to +milk, but not a drop could he produce. Suddenly, uttering a loud cry, +the calf, with head lowered, made a dash across the yard, sending +Reginald flying in one direction, his milk-pail and stool in others, to +the great amusement of the lookers-on. Reginald picked himself up, not +being really hurt; and although he at first looked very frightened, he +soon recovered his equanimity. + +"Now, Reginald," said Paul, "you will very likely succeed better this +time. Try again." + +Reginald had plenty of spirit, and getting the pail and stool, once more +sat himself down; and Paul showing him how to work, he managed to draw +milk from the heifer. + +"Capital!" cried Paul; "but you had better let me finish--one cannot +tell how long she may stay quiet." + +At breakfast Hector and Reginald gave very different versions of the +milking business of the morning. Hector described it as "a nasty, +disgusting affair;" while Reginald declared "that it was very good fun, +and that he was proud of his own performance, in spite of his +misadventure." + + + +CHAPTER FOUR. + +PETS--A RAMBLE THROUGH THE SCRUB--ROB ACTS THE HERO--SEES A LURKING +BLACK--THE PARTY HURRY HOMEWARDS--ALARMING INTELLIGENCE BROUGHT BY PAUL. + +As much of the time of the young Berringtons was likely to be taken up +by their newly-arrived cousins, it was arranged that they and Mr +Hayward should make holiday. As soon, therefore, as Mary and Janet had +finished their household duties they invited their cousins to take a +walk round the gardens, which they had not yet seen, and along the bank +of the river. + +"We can show you some pretty views," said Mary. + +"You shall see all our pets," added Janet. + +"Pray take your sunshades, girls," murmured Mrs Berrington, who had +just come out of her room. "Without them you will spoil your +complexions to a certainty, and perhaps suffer from a _coup-de-soleil_. +You do not let your daughters go out without them?" she added, turning +to her sister-in-law. + +"We never think of such a thing," answered Mrs Hugh; "our hats are +lined with pith, and broad-brimmed, and we do not mind a few freckles." + +The young ladies, acting on their mother's suggestion, took their +sunshades, which, it must be confessed, were not altogether useless, +although their cousins did very well without them. + +They had got a short distance from the house, when Evelina uttered a +scream and pointed to a large animal with a long tail, pointed nose, and +short arms, which came hopping along at a great rate towards them. + +"Oh! what's that monster?" she exclaimed. "How can we get out of its +way?" + +"That's only our tame kangaroo, Jumper," answered Janet, laughing. "He +is a great pet; he has been out with Sandy all the morning, and is now +coming to pay his respects to us." + +The kangaroo, which was upwards of five feet high, came bounding along, +moving himself by the wonderful muscular power of his long hind-legs, +though he had in addition to carry his tail, which he lifted off the +ground when moving; this tail, however, assisted him to rest when he +reached his young mistresses and waited to receive the piece of bread +they had brought to give him. Close behind came an animal on four legs. + +"Oh! here comes another horrid creature," cried Adela. "A wolf! a +wolf!" + +"No; we have no wolves here. That is our kangaroo dog Bruce. He and +Jumper are great friends, though he would run down, and kill any of +Jumper's relatives without the slightest remorse. Here, Bruce, Bruce." + +A magnificent dog, a mixture of a Saint Bernard and greyhound, came up +and licked Mary's and Janet's hand, and attempted to treat their cousins +in the same way. The young ladies, not liking his looks, started back, +and it was some time before they could be persuaded to pat him on the +head. Although Janet called Jumper and Bruce to accompany them, the +latter only obeyed; the former bounded towards the house. + +"The rogue has gone to see what he can get in the kitchen; if he can +catch Biddy off her guard, he'll snatch up anything he can find, and be +away with it," observed Mary. + +The menagerie was in the flower-garden, where several of their pets +which could not be allowed to remain at liberty were confined. Among +the prettiest was a flying squirrel, a little animal with beautiful fur, +its legs united by a membrane which enables it to float from the +treetops to the ground without injury, then to run up the trunk of +another, once more to descend, and thus make its way along. Poor little +"Fussy!" its habits were nocturnal, and it had been accustomed to roam +about at large in the house; but Captain Berrington, fearing that it +might disturb his guests, had turned it out of doors to live with +several other animals which his children had tamed. + +The young ladies had made their way along a path which had been cut +through the scrub, close to the banks of the river, that Mary might show +her cousins the views she had spoken of. They had been joined by Rob +and Edgar, who considered that they could not let them go so far from +home without an efficient escort. + +"With such valiant guards we may, I think, venture further than we have +been accustomed to," said Mary. "We shall have to stoop now and then to +get under the vines, or squeeze ourselves between the trunks of the +trees. We have no wild animals to fear, and need only be careful not to +tread upon a snake." + +"A snake!" exclaimed Evelina. "Oh, how dreadful! Let's go home." + +"Oh, come on," cried Bob, "I'll clear the road, and kill any snakes +which may show their ugly heads." + +Flourishing his hatchet, which he drew from his belt, he proceeded to +cut away the vines and any branches which impeded their way. + +Their progress was of course slow, but Rob asserted that they would soon +come out into a more open spot, when they would be able to walk as fast +as they liked. The air beneath the shade of the tall trees was +deliciously cool compared to the hot atmosphere of the open ground; and +even Evelina acknowledged that it was very pleasant. She had not gone +far, however, before she shrieked out to Mary-- + +"You said there were no savage creatures! Look at this monster; it will +kill us all!" + +"Why, that's only an iguana. It has no teeth, and wouldn't bite you if +it had. I'll try and catch it, and you shall have it for dinner; it +makes an excellent stew," exclaimed Rob, who heard her cry out. + +The iguana, a large species of lizard, was, however, far too quick for +Rob, and was away out of sight before he got up to the tree on which he +had seen it. Edgar manfully kept up with him, but having no weapon +except a clasp knife, he could render but little service in clearing the +road. Rob was shouting to the girls to "come on," when suddenly he +himself stopped short. + +"Edgar, did you see any one?" he asked, in a low voice. + +"Yes, a hideous black face; it popped down immediately behind the +bushes." + +"We had better not go on, then; for though many of the blacks are +friendly hereabouts, yet others who come from a distance are very +treacherous." + +Not stopping to hear more, Edgar scampered away to tell the ladies, who, +as soon as they heard the alarming intelligence, began to beat a +retreat. They were quickly overtaken by Rob, who had not only seen a +black man, but a bundle of spears, and was fully satisfied of the danger +of remaining longer in the scrub. + +Mary was the first to recover herself. "After all, the boys may have +mistaken the stump of a tree for a native; or if they did see a black, +he may have come with no bad intentions," she observed; "we need not +give up our walk in consequence." + +However, her cousins looked so frightened that she led them directly out +of the scrub towards the kitchen, garden, intending to go round under a +trellis work, which had a thick hedge on the outside, and at that hour +of the day afforded a pleasant shady walk. They were passing along that +part which was nearest the open ground when they heard the tramp of a +horse's hoofs galloping at fall speed, and directly afterwards Paul +shouting out to Harry-- + +"Where's our father?" + +"He has gone off with Uncle Frank to Gibson's station," answered Harry. +"But what's in the wind?" + +"The blacks have shown their ugly faces again, not far off. I caught +sight of a mob of them just before I passed Jenkins's hut, and when +stopping to leave a message I could nowhere find him. The blacks have +evidently been there, and, I am afraid, have killed him. I did not stop +to search longer, but came on to tell father, that he might send over to +Ogilvie to set the police after them." + +"I'll ride Bolter, and get Reginald to come with me," answered Harry. + +"Reginald! He's no use; he will never keep up with you, and the chances +are that he is pitched off before you have galloped a mile. Get Mr +Hayward or Sandy to go with you," said Paul. + +"They are both away just now," answered Harry; "but why can't you get a +fresh horse and go yourself?" + +"Look here," the girls heard Paul say; "one of the black fellows dashed +a spear, and gave me this ugly scratch on the side, and I should be +foolish to attempt riding so far. I must go in and get mother to doctor +it." + +The young ladies, on hearing this, were naturally much alarmed. Mary +was about to call to her brothers, but they were already beyond hearing; +so she, followed by the rest of the party, hastened to the house that +she might break the intelligence to her mother. + + + +CHAPTER FIVE. + +PAUL COMES HOME WOUNDED--PREPARE FOR AN EXPECTED ATTACK--HECTOR +MISSING--THE BOYS GO IN SEARCH OF HIM--BIDDY GIVES THE ALARM--ROB AND +EDGAR AGREE TO KEEP WATCH--THE WAY THEY DO SO--ARRIVAL OF THE BLACK +POLICE AND THEIR OFFICER. + +As soon as Mary arrived at home she told her mother what she had heard; +and lint, salve, and bandages were speedily got ready. + +Paul's pale cheek when he arrived showed that he was suffering +considerably, though he made light of the wound. + +"Oh! it's nothing!" he said, trying to laugh. "A black fellow's spear +merely grazed my side, though had not Polly swerved at that moment it +would have stuck into her neck." + +"It is a mercy, my boy, that it did not strike you in the back," said +Mrs Hugh Berrington, examining the wound, which she thought far more +severe than Paul was inclined to suppose it. + +"I had been looking after some cattle which had strayed from one of the +herdsmen, a new hand," he said, "when I suddenly found myself close to a +mob of strange blacks, the very same, I suspect, Harry and I met with +when hunting up Old Bolter. Knowing the imprudence of trusting myself +among them, I immediately turned my horse's head and galloped off, but +not until several spears had been hurled at me. I felt one pop through +my clothes, but I thought that it had given me only a slight scratch. +On reaching Jenkins's station, wishing to warn him of the vicinity of +the black fellows, I looked about everywhere, but could not find him, +and therefore came on that information might be sent to the police +without delay, in order that they might proceed in search of the +strangers and drive them away. Before returning home I found Mr +Hayward, who, with Harry, has gone over to Ogilvie to give information +of the blacks being in the neighbourhood." + +"But what if they should come here while our husbands are away?" +exclaimed Mrs Berrington, trembling with alarm. + +"I am here, and this slight hurt won't prevent me from defending you," +exclaimed Paul, feeling not a little indignant at his aunt's remark, +"and there are Reginald, and Hector, and Sandy, and the other men will +be back before long." + +"And _we_ can fight too," exclaimed Janet. "I know how to fire a +pistol, so does Mary." + +"What a fearful state of things!" ejaculated Mrs Berrington. + +"Oh, aunt, you'll soon get accustomed to it," said Janet, who often +spoke very like Harry. + +"I hope that we shall not be reduced to such extremities," said Aunt +Emily. "But where are Reginald and Hector?" + +"I saw Reginald at our hut; I told him to come on here in case he might +be wanted, but as to Hector, I do not know where he is." + +"Suppose he should be fishing by the river, and the blacks should find +him. They may kill the poor boy," exclaimed Mrs Berrington. + +Though Paul thought this more than possible, should Hector have gone to +any distance, he tried to reassure his aunt, intending to go himself and +try and find his cousin. + +When, however, he attempted to move, he discovered that he could not do +so without great pain and difficulty. He was thankful when Reginald +came in, and Rob at the same time making his appearance, he sent the two +off in search of Hector, warning them to keep away from any place which +might conceal a lurking enemy. He then held a consultation with Mary +and Janet, and arranged with them how they might best prepare the house +for defence, should the blacks attack it. They all knew that there was +not much real danger provided that they were not taken by surprise, as +the natives, unaccustomed to the use of fire-arms, were sure to run away +if sturdily withstood. He knew he could depend upon his two elder +sisters, though he suspected that his cousins would not prove heroines. + +The day wore on, the captain and his brother were not expected until +late. Reginald and Rob had not returned from their search for Hector, +and Sandy, whom they expected, had not yet made his appearance. + +The sun set, and darkness came on; the girls agreed to watch in +different directions, from whence they could command the approaches to +the house. Biddy was naturally stationed at the kitchen end of the +house, which looked towards the bush. Poor Mrs Berrington's alarm +became greater and greater. + +Mrs Hugh and her daughters were doing their best to keep her from +fainting by the due application of sal volatile, though they themselves +could scarcely restrain their own fears. + +Suddenly a fearful shriek ran through the house; it came from Biddy. +Mary and Janet hurried round, shutting the doors opening on the verandah +where they had been stationed, and rushed towards her. + +"Sure, the nagers are coming! the nagers are coming!" they heard her +again and again shriek out. She was, however, at her post at the door, +but had thrown her apron over her head. Before closing the door, the +courageous girls looked out to ascertain how far off the natives were +from the house. There, sure enough, they saw three figures approaching +with what looked like long spears in their hands. + +"Arrah! come in, me darlin's, and don't let the nagers catch ye!" +shrieked Biddy. + +"What's all that hullabaloo about?" exclaimed one of the figures, +approaching, and Hector, and Reginald, and Rob came up to the door. + +Biddy, however, who had stopped her ears as well as hid her face, still +fancied that they were blacks, and continued shrieking as loudly as +ever. + +"Run, Rob, and tell mother and aunt that you have come back safe, while +we try and bring this foolish girl to her senses," said Mary. + +It was, however, some minutes before Biddy could be quieted, and assured +by the sight of the young masters that it was they whom she had seen, +and that no natives had shown themselves. + +Reginald then told Mary that they had found Hector fast asleep on the +bank, while his fishing-rod was floating in the middle of a water-hole, +and that they had spent some time in attempting to recover it. Though +the boys had returned safe, and one cause of anxiety was removed, there +was still a possibility that the blacks would attack the place, should +they have been on the watch, and have discovered that the gentlemen were +away. + +Paul, however, did not think this likely, as, had they been lurking +about, they would certainly have caught the boys, and perhaps have +killed them. Poor Mrs Berrington continued bemoaning her hard fate in +coming to such a country. + +"But, my dear Augusta," said Mrs Hugh, "no harm has happened to those +we love, and we ought not to mistrust God. You and I have gone through +numerous trials and troubles, and have been mercifully preserved through +them all." + +At length the captain and his brother returned, and, having heard +nothing of the blacks, were greatly surprised at the state of agitation +into which the family had been thrown. The captain commended Paul for +his judgment in sending for the police. Taking their fire-arms with +them, they at once went back to let Sandy and the other men know that +the blacks had been seen near the house, that they might be on their +guard. + +"They are not likely to be surprised while Bruce is on the watch," +observed Paul; "he can scent a black a hundred yards off." + +Poor Mrs Berrington was thus again made anxious, fearing that her +husband and the captain might be attacked before they got back to the +house. At last they made their appearance, reporting that Sandy and the +men were on the watch at the stock-yards, but that Harry and Mr Hayward +had not yet returned; indeed, the captain believed that they would +probably accompany the police, or, at all events, not come back until +the morning. + +The children were put to bed, and the ladies were at length persuaded to +retire to rest. The captain and Mr Berrington arranged to keep watch +and watch, so that they might run no risk of being surprised. Paul +wanted to join them, but his father insisted that he should remain +quiet, lest his wound, trifling though he considered it, might become +inflamed. Hector went into his room without offering his services. Mr +Berrington looked vexed, but said nothing; possibly he thought that he +would go to sleep at his post, and thus be worse than useless. + +"I say, Edgar, though we are sent to bed, we are not bound to go to +sleep," exclaimed Rob. "I vote that you and I keep watch at the window, +turn and turn about. I have got one of Paul's pistols, and if any +blacks come we will shoot them." + +"But they would have to come fearfully close to do that, and I don't +think I could fire at a man with a spear in his hand, grinning horribly +at me out of the dark." + +It is easy to imagine the picture Edgar conjured up. + +"That's the very time I would shoot," answered Rob; "if I did not, he +might hurl the spear and stick it into me." + +"Keep quiet, you fellows," growled out Hector, who was awakened by their +talking, though he did not hear what they said. They were silent till +they thought that he was again asleep. + +"If you're afraid I'm not," said Rob. "I will take the first watch, and +I will call you when it's time for you to look out, and then you can +rouse me up if you see anything, and I will be alongside you in a +moment." + +Edgar having agreed to this, Rob sat himself down on a stool, with his +head just above the window-sill, on which it soon dropped. He was, in +reality, fast asleep, though all the time he thought that he was keeping +a very bright lookout, and that he saw savages creeping up in the +distance, but that he was waiting to give the alarm until they should +get somewhat closer. At last he awoke with a most uncomfortable crick +in his neck, and found, to his surprise, that the dawn had broken. +Hector and Edgar were sleeping soundly, and believing that no blacks +would venture near the house by daylight, he wisely crept into his bunk, +where he lay until roused by the sound of the gong which summoned the +family to prepare for breakfast. + +The night had passed without any appearance of the blacks, and the +captain, who had searched round the house in every direction, could find +no traces of them. He began, indeed, to suspect that Rob must have been +mistaken in supposing that he had seen a lurking native in the scrub. +He and Mr Berrington, followed by Bruce, after breakfast made a long +circuit through the scrub, and visiting the spot Rob described, the +captain had reason to change his opinion, for he at length found traces +of natives, and the remains of a fire, where they must have encamped +that very night. This satisfied him that the precautions he had taken +had not been useless, but, as far as he could judge, the blacks had +retreated to the westward. The chief anxiety of the family was now +about Harry and Mr Hayward, who had not yet returned. Late in the day, +however, Rob and Edgar, who were patrolling round and round the house +under the idea that they were keeping guard, saw Harry galloping up to +them. + +"Well, what news?" shouted Rob. "We have been expecting the blacks all +day, but they have not come yet. Have you fallen in with them?" + +"Yes, indeed we have!" answered Harry, "and had a desperate fight too. +We killed some of them, and the rest ran off. Lieutenant Bertram, of +the police, believes that they will still remain lurking in the +neighbourhood, and has come on with some of his men to be ready to act +as a guard to the house should father wish it. We have had some +exciting work, let me tell you. It was wonderful the way our black +police hunted down their countrymen; but I must not stop, as they will +be wanting to know at home what has happened." + +Dismounting, Harry hurried into the house, while his younger brother led +his tired steed to the paddock. + +Harry had just made his report, and Mrs Hugh was busy in preparing some +food for their expected visitors, when Mr Hayward, accompanied by a +young officer, rode up to the door, closely followed by a dozen black +troopers, in dark blue and red uniforms. Mr Hayward introduced +Lieutenant Bertram, who explained his reasons for coming. + +Mrs Berrington was profuse in her thanks. "We have had a dreadful +fright, Mr Bertram, and I hope that you and your men will remain here +until the blacks are driven out of the country. I shall get no rest, +night or day." + +"I am afraid, madam, that will not be so easy an operation as you +suppose," answered the lieutenant. "The blacks have an idea that they +are the owners of the soil, and that we are intruders, and they are not +very willing to decamp. Our business is rather to keep them in order, +and prevent them from attacking the whites." + +As Harry explained that they had been a good many hours without eating, +supper was immediately placed on the table, while provisions were +carried out to the troopers, who sat down in a circle on the +grass-plot--it could not be dignified as a lawn--with their horses +picketed near them. The ladies went out to see them as they sat in the +sunlight, not at all inconvenienced by its glare. They seemed merry, +careless fellows, laughing and chattering away in their own curious +lingo--a mixture of English and native words. + +Mr Bertram said they were all blacks from a distance, composed of two +or three different tribes who could not understand each other's original +language. The captain was grieved to find that there was little doubt +that his shepherd had been murdered, although his body had not been +discovered. The flock had been driven to a station nearer home, where +two of the police had been left to watch the hostile natives, although +it was not at all likely that they would for the present make another +attack. + +Poor Mrs Berrington saw, with much regret, the lieutenant and his men +take their departure. They were going, he said, to make another +thorough search for the hostile natives, and to advise them to remove to +a distance from the white men's stations. + + + +CHAPTER SIX. + +PLEASANT RIDES THROUGH THE COUNTRY--MAGNIFICENT VEGETATION--HECTOR STUNG +BY A NETTLE--A HURRICANE--ROOF OF THE HUT BLOWN OFF. + +Some weeks passed away, and the new comers were getting accustomed to +bush-life. Even the unimpressible Evelina and Adela began to take an +interest in what was going on, though they were still open to the +criticism pronounced on them by Harry to Reginald-- + +"Those girls of yours are very well in their way, but it is a pity they +cannot learn to make themselves useful." + +Aunt Emily was, however, delighted with all she saw--the trees, the +birds, the animals; and much indeed there was to admire during the rides +she and two or three of the girls were accustomed to take, either with +Mr Berrington or Paul, Harry or Reginald. + +All apprehension of an attack from the blacks had subsided, and they +frequently rode to a considerable distance from Stratton. The country +beyond the scrub was open, or rather only sprinkled with tall ungainly +gum-trees, but there was to be found in many spots other and very +beautiful foliage. In some places groves of acacia-trees with yellow +blossoms, and in other spots tall coral trees with long pendulous red +flowers, looking exactly like strings of coral hanging from the dark +foliage. Sometimes they came upon the curiously-shaped bottle tree, +which greatly resembles a lemonade bottle placed in the ground. Then, +not far off, would be found the grass tree, from the summit of which +long pendants projected like enormous blades of grass. Even these trees +were of considerable height. Mr Berrington said that during the hot +months he always had a supply of the wood, as the smoke arising from it +emits not only a very pleasant odour, but is much objected to by the +mosquitos, and by burning it in the room those pests of Queensland are +always driven out. + +One of the most remarkable trees they met with was the bunya-bunya, a +species of pine. It towered like a pinnacle above all the other trees, +reaching a height of upwards of two hundred feet. + +Some of the young trees were peculiarly handsome, throwing out branches +all around close to the ground to a distance of many yards, and smaller +branches rising in regular gradation to the top, thus forming a perfect +cone with so dense a foliage that it was evident no animal could +penetrate it. At the top of the older trees grew an enormous cone of +fruit, each being the size of a chestnut. From some of these a bare +pole shot up nearly a hundred feet above the branches, with this +prodigious cone at the summit. Notwithstanding this, the party saw a +couple of blacks belonging to a friendly tribe, who occasionally camped +near them, climb to the top, whence they threw down the fruit in +handfuls. Harry and Reginald filled their pockets with some of it, +which they carried home. It was cooked as chestnuts are, but was +pronounced more farinaceous and much nicer to eat. + +The party frequently took provisions with them, and enjoyed a picnic in +some beautiful spot while their horses were hobbled near. On one of +these occasions Hector had condescended to accompany them. He and Paul, +with Mr Hayward, were walking some little distance from the rest, when +Hector, not taking an interest in the conversation of his cousin and the +dominie, sauntered away from them. Hector had the habit as he walked +along of pulling off the leaves of any shrub or tree he passed, from +mere thoughtlessness, not with any idea of examining their shape or +character. + +"Where's Hector got to?" suddenly exclaimed Paul. + +"There he is," said Mr Hayward; then he shouted, "Come back, Hector; +come back! Don't touch those shrubs." + +But Hector either did not hear or did not heed the call, and Mr Hayward +and Paul set off to run after him. Presently they heard him shriek out, +and throw down a large leaf like that of a mallow, which he had plucked +from a shrub about fifteen feet in height. + +"That's a nettle tree," exclaimed Mr Hayward; "poor fellow! he'll +suffer for it." + +They found Hector wringing his hand, and declaring that he had been +stung by a snake. He was somewhat consoled when Mr Hayward and Paul +assured him that he had only by mistake caught hold of a huge nettle, +though he might expect to suffer from its effects for some days to come. +He wanted to run off to a stream near which the party had picnicked, to +cool his hand in the water. + +"That will only make matters worse," said Paul; "you must keep your hand +as dry as possible, for every time you wet it the pain will come on +again." + +Poor Hector could scarcely refrain from crying out with pain. + +"You must grin and bear it, old fellow," said Harry, really wishing to +console him. "When you get home mother will, I dare say, apply some +remedy. We were fortunately warned about catching hold of nettles +before we had your experience; but you'll never do it again." + +All the party enjoyed the ride, except poor Hector, who complained +bitterly of the pain he suffered from the stinging-nettle. On their +arrival at home, Mrs Hugh applied ammonia and oil. At length he +acknowledged that the pain had considerably abated, but during the +remainder of the evening he took every opportunity of abusing the +country and "its horrible productions." + +Harry, who was always ready to take up the cudgels in favour of his +native land, answered, "Why, even you in England have got nettles, and +poisonous berries too, and, I am sure, have not got one-tenth part of +the fruits and plants which this country can produce. We can grow the +sugar-cane, cotton, coffee, rice and tobacco, and Peruvian bark, or what +answers as well, and spices of all sorts, while few of our berries are +poisonous; and, except those rascally dingos, we have not an animal in +the country which can do any harm to man or beast." + +"Oh, yes! it's a very nice land indeed," sneered Hector. + +"Come, old fellow, you're shut up, after all," exclaimed Harry, +triumphantly, "and it is time to go to bed. I'm off to our hut. Come +along, Reggy; Paul went there an hour ago." + +Family prayers were over. The two lads, wishing their fathers and +mothers and all hands good night, set off to their abode. + +Mr Hayward and the rest of the inmates of the hut had been some time +asleep, when they were awakened by a fearful uproar, like the howling, +shrieking, and hissing of a thousand locomotive engines dashing on at +full speed--so Reggy described it. They could scarcely hear their own +voices as they shouted to know what was happening. + +"A storm, lads, and such a one as we don't often get," said Mr Hayward, +who was dressing as fast as he could. The rest followed his example, +for at any moment the roof of their hut might be carried off. As they +looked out they saw the tallest trees bending and groaning under the +fearful blast. At that moment a huge branch, broken off, was dashed to +the ground near them with a tremendous crash, while the whole air was +filled with leaves, twigs, and smaller branches. + +The thunder, which had been heard at a distance, came near. At first it +sounded like a faint cannonading, but now it broke overhead with +terrible roars and rattles, as if a pitched battle were raging amid the +clouds, drowning all other sounds. In such rapid succession did peal +follow peal, that they appeared like one continuous roar. + +Black clouds made the night as dark as pitch, until the lightning burst +forth and lit up the whole of the surrounding scene. Streams of the +electric fluid, running down the stems of the tall trees, went hissing +along the ground like fiery serpents. Blast succeeded blast, until +suddenly the whole roof of the hut, being lifted together, was carried +off, the inmates knew not where; when down came the rain in a sheet of +water, rather than drops. The lads were thankful that they had got on +their clothes, at all events, and had time to slip into their +waterproofs. + +"We must go and see what is happening at the house. I only hope the +fencing won't be blown down, or we shall have work enough to-morrow to +collect the stock again," cried Paul. + +In spite of the storm, and the danger they ran from falling boughs, they +commenced making their way towards the house. Sometimes it was so dark +that they could not see a foot before them. Then, in an instant, a +bright flash would illumine the whole scene, and they rushed forward +again, stopping when darkness came upon them. At length they calculated +that they must be close to the house. A flash revealed it to them, but +it appeared as if the roof had gone. No one was to be seen. They +shouted, but no reply came. They tried to open the door, but it was +fastened within. Perhaps those they loved had been crushed by the +falling roof. The thought was too dreadful. Paul and Harry shook at +the door, and shouted again and again. + + + +CHAPTER SEVEN. + +THE BOYS GO TO ASSIST THEIR FRIENDS--PAUL AND HARRY ENTER THE HOUSE +THROUGH THE ROOF--ALARM OF THE FAMILY--FEARS OF THE RIVER RISING--PAUL +SETS OFF TO OBTAIN PROVISIONS. + +Paul and Harry, who had run on first, kept knocking and knocking at the +door, and shouting at the top of their voices, but the creaking of the +verandah posts, the rattling of the shingles on the roof, the continuous +roar of the thunder, and the howling of the wind among the trees, +completely drowned their voices. They ran round to try and find an +entrance by one of the windows or back door, but the shutters were all +closed. At length Mr Hayward and Reggy came up, but they were not more +successful in making the inmates hear when they knocked and shouted at +the front door. Harry proposed climbing up and dropping down through +the opening in the roof. A large portion of the verandah had been torn +away, but the beams remained. + +"You forget, Harry," shouted Paul in his ear, "we may reach the roof, +but how shall we get down without the risk of breaking our legs over the +fragments which may have fallen in, or the tables and chairs? Stay a +moment! There's a rope in the harness room, and if that has not been +blown away I'll get it." + +Paul recollecting where he had last seen the rope, was able to lay his +hand on it, even in the dark. He soon groped his way back. + +Harry having proposed the expedition, climbed up first, Paul handing him +the rope. He soon reached a rafter, and lowering the rope until he knew +that it touched the ground, he fastened it securely, and at once +descended, followed by Paul. They had dropped into their own bedroom, +which they had given up to Hector; after feeling about, however, they +decided he was not there. Neither were Rob nor Edgar. They then groped +their way along the passage at the back of the house, to the +sitting-room end. During a momentary lull of the storm they thought +they heard voices. On opening the door, they presented themselves to +the astonished eyes of their family. + +Mr Berrington, aided by Mrs Hugh and Miss Saville, was endeavouring to +calm the fears of his wife and elder daughters, who were well nigh in +hysterics, while Mary and Janet were attending to the children--who, +poor little things, were naturally very much frightened. Hector, who +had got his hand wet, was crying out that he had been bitten by a +scorpion, forgetting how he had been stung by a nettle the previous +morning. The captain, meantime, was doing his best to keep the windows +closed, with the assistance of Biddy, who was bringing him such pieces +of wood as she could find to nail up against them, for they threatened +to give way, when the wind would have blown out the only lamp which was +burning on the table in the centre of the room. + +"Where have you boys come from?" asked their father; "I thought all the +doors were shut." + +"So they are," shouted Paul, "but we came down through the roof." + +"What! were you blown all this way?" asked Mr Berrington, looking up. + +"Not exactly," answered Harry, "we came on our legs." + +"Has your hut been blown down?" asked their father. + +"The best part of it, on a night like this--the top has," answered +Harry. + +Paul then explained that Mr Hayward and Reggy were all this time +waiting outside, not knowing how to get in. The captain would not let +them open the door, however, without his assistance, and they all three +accordingly repaired to it. + +"Are you still there?" shouted Harry. + +A voice answered, "Yes." + +"Stand by to close the door again," said the captain, and slightly +opening it, in rushed Reggy and Mr Hayward, when the whole party, +pressing hard, once more closed it, though the blast which came in sent +several of the articles of furniture rattling down. + +"How, in the name of wonder, did you get in?" exclaimed Reggy, when he +found Paul and Harry inside. + +He could scarcely believe it when they told him how they had managed to +find an entrance. The door being secured, they hastened back to the +sitting-room. It was no easy matter to carry on a conversation amid the +wild uproar, though the captain, accustomed to storms at sea, made +himself heard. He could not tell how much of the roof had gone, for, +even through a small aperture the rain made its way in torrents. He was +thankful that any part remained which could afford them shelter. Paul +could give no account of how it fared with Sandy and the men at the +stock-yard. Mr Hayward volunteered to go back and ascertain, but the +captain would not allow this. "You ran risk enough in coming, and I am +thankful that you have escaped," he said. + +Nothing more could now be done until daylight, as the whole house was in +darkness, for as soon as the lamp was lighted in any part, except in the +sitting-room, it was blown out again by the wind which made its way +through the roof. The captain did not express his fears to the rest of +the party, with the exception of Mr Hayward and Paul, but his chief +anxiety was about the river. On listening at the side of the house +nearest to it, they could hear the water rushing along its hitherto dry +bed, evidently at headlong speed. Mr Hayward, ever ready to assist, +offered to go out and ascertain how high it had risen. + +"We may remain here in safety at present, I trust," said Captain +Berrington: "it is still a dozen feet below us, probably more, and +unless it should rise much higher, we should only unnecessarily expose +the ladies to this tremendous rain and the fearful danger of falling +branches were we to quit the house. We must, however, keep a watch upon +it and escape in time." + +Several terrific blasts came, which threatened to blow down the house, +or tear off the whole roof. The wind, after the last, began to lull, +and the rain ceased. The house, with the exception of the sitting-room, +was in such a condition that the family were compelled to remain in that +apartment. The night wore slowly away, and every one was thankful when +daylight at last returned. Sad indeed was the havoc which had been +committed by the tempest; but the captain was thankful that none of the +family had been injured, and not a word of complaint escaped him. + +No time was lost in commencing to repair the damages. While Biddy was +trying to get her kitchen in order and light a fire, Janet and Mary, +with pails and mops, assisted by their cousins, were busily employed in +"swabbing decks," as their father called it, and hanging up the wet +bedding to dry. + +The captain and his brother, with Mr Hayward, got the carpenter's +tools, and commenced repairing the roof, while the younger boys +collected all the shingles they could find. Paul, Harry, and Reggy +started off to the stock-yards, to see how things fared there, and to +assist Sandy and the men if necessary. Before going they took a glance +at the river. Reggy could scarcely believe that it was the same stream +he had seen the day before, as it now went foaming and rushing by, +carrying huge trunks of trees and dead cattle in its vortex, while it +appeared four times as broad as before. + +"We have often had it as high as this in a rainy season, although it has +seldom risen so high at other times," said Paul. + +Hector declared that his hand hurt him too much to allow him to do +anything, although he at length condescended, when summoned by his +sisters, to try and put his own room in order. + +As the lads went along, they observed the havoc which had been produced +by the storm. Several tall trees had been blown down, others denuded of +their branches. The maize was beaten to the ground, the kitchen-garden +had suffered greatly, and flower-blossoms had everywhere been torn off, +while many of the fruit-trees were destroyed. + +"It cannot be helped," said Paul, "happily, things grow here very +rapidly, and in a short time we shall have all to rights again." + +Reginald thought Paul a great philosopher, but he only spoke the truth. +They met Sandy coming to ask how the family had fared; he reported more +favourably of the stock-yard than Paul had expected. A portion of the +roof of some of the buildings had been blown off; but the strong fences +intended to resist the charge of a fierce bull or angry heifer had +withstood the strongest blasts. + +"We ken weel where our weak points are," observed Sandy; "we will soon +get things to rights." + +Every one had enough to do during that and several following days. The +buildings were re-roofed, the fallen trees were sawn through and dragged +out of the way to be split up or burned. The garden fences were +repaired, and everything else put to rights. Meantime the river had +fallen almost to its usual level, though the water-holes were united, +and it now ran in a regular current. The captain's chief regret was for +his maize crop; nothing could restore that, and he expected to obtain +scarcely a quarter of the produce he had looked for. It would be +necessary, therefore, to dispatch the drays some hundreds of miles to +obtain flour, and this must be done as soon as possible, before the +regular rainy season should set in. It would not last long, but during +that time many of the creeks would be impassable, and other places might +be flooded. + +There was so much to be done that Captain Berrington did not wish to go +himself, and though Paul was always very useful at home, he determined +to send him in charge of the party. Paul would have liked to take +either Harry or Reggy, but they now worked so well together that his +father was unwilling to separate them, besides which they were able to +do a great deal of work, and had in addition to attend some hours in the +day to their studies, as Mr Hayward had resumed his duties as tutor, +the girls, as well as the boys, regularly attending the school. + +Paul could not but feel proud at being so thoroughly trusted by his +father, and he hoped to perform his commission well; although he would +gladly have had a companion in his long and tedious journey. + +The men who accompanied him had been some time in the captain's employ, +and were considered thoroughly trustworthy. He himself felt much more +anxious about the family. It was not only possible that the blacks +might return and cause them alarm, but he might not obtain flour where +he expected to find it. Although they would not in consequence be +actually in want of food, it would be a considerable privation to have +to go without bread. The captain had also confided to him a project Mr +Berrington and he had in view, of forming a new station further up the +country. They had not, however, fixed on it; but beyond the ranges to +the north-west the captain had heard that a fine region existed, and he +proposed forming a party to explore it. He had promised Paul that he +should go, and told him that he proposed setting off at the termination +of the rainy season. Paul, having bid farewell to his family, +accompanied by Harry and Reggy, who were going to see him a few miles on +the way, rode after the drays, which had started at daybreak that +morning. + +The two boys returned towards evening, reporting all well. Paul was +much missed; even Hector complained that he had not now a companion to +talk to. Although Harry and Reggy were merry fellows, it was generally +acknowledged that they were not equal to Paul. + +"I trust we shall have him back soon," said his mother, after he had +been gone some time; "although I wish that tidings of him had reached +us." + + + +CHAPTER EIGHT. + +A KANGAROO HUNT--CHASING EMUS--A PACK OF DINGOES PUT TO FLIGHT. + +Reggy had by this time learned to make himself almost as useful as +Harry. Their great delight was riding after stray cattle and horses, +which afforded them constant occupation. + +Occasionally they visited the sheep-stations, to see that all was right, +or to give directions to the shepherds. + +Sometimes they drove one of the drays carrying provisions and stores, a +task which was not so pleasant as galloping over the country. Now and +then Hector was persuaded to join them in the former duty, but he would +never even attempt to learn to drive a dray. + +"If I could manage to get hold of a well-built dogcart from London, I +should have no objection to turn out a tandem," he said, as he +contemptuously surveyed the dray. + +As the captain was convinced that "all work and no play makes Jack a +dull boy," he occasionally allowed all hands who could be spared to go +out hunting, the game being kangaroos or emus, when Bruce and the other +dogs at the station had an active part to play. Hector, who rode pretty +well, had no objection to join in it. Even Rob and Edgar were at times +allowed to go out. + +The damage caused by the storm having been repaired, about a week after +Paul left home a hunting party was organised, the captain and Mr Haward +joining it, with all the boys. Sandy, on such occasions, always +remained at home, although he had learned to stick to the saddle as well +as any man. Hunting was not to his taste; besides which, he considered +it his duty to look after the ladies at the house and the cattle at the +station. + +It was a lovely morning; not a cloud was in the sky. The air was so +pure, and so fine a breeze was blowing, that no one felt the heat. The +boys were in high spirits as they rode along on their sturdy little +horses, with the dogs barking and frisking around them. They had not +gone far before a large kangaroo was sighted--an "old man," as the big +kangaroos are called by the settlers. He was employed in plucking the +leaves from some shrubs which partly concealed him. So busily engaged +was he, that he did not at first notice their approach, but as they got +near his quick ear detected the sound of their horses' feet, and taking +one glance at them over his shoulder, he bounded off to seek safety in +flight. + +The dogs gave chase, the horsemen followed close upon their heels. The +kangaroo appeared to move but slowly, and to be making his long bounds +with deliberation. + +"We shall be up to him in three minutes!" cried Reggy. + +"Not so fast as that, by a long way," answered Harry; "he is now going +at double the speed you suppose, and will soon increase it." + +Harry was right. On went the kangaroo towards a creek in which there +were two or three deep water-holes, a couple of miles to the northward. +Hector and Reginald could not help laughing as they saw the wonderful +bounds he made, holding his little front claws close to him, as a man +does when running a race, with his knowing head held upright. +Sometimes, when passing through high grass, the head and shoulders alone +were visible, and the dogs could not be perceived except by the waving +grass, while often they could not see the chase; still they kept on in +its tracks. At last a large water-hole was reached, the kangaroo leapt +into it, and having gained the centre, turned round and watched for the +approach of the dogs. Bruce--knowing old fellow--was well aware that +the kangaroo would have him at a great disadvantage, and contented +himself by standing at the edge and barking, as he knew the animal must +in time abandon his present position and again take to flight. All the +older dogs imitated Brace's example; but two young ones, thinking +themselves braver than their companions, swam out, expecting to catch +the kangaroo by the neck and bring him down. The first which approached +was caught in his short arms before the dog could seize his throat, and +was held down under the water, the kangaroo looking round all the time +with perfect unconcern. In vain the dog struggled: the greater its +efforts to free himself, the more rapidly the water entered its mouth. + +The second dog attempted to make a diversion in its favour, but the +kangaroo managed to give it a blow with the sharp claw of one of its +hinder feet, and, with a yelp of pain, it swam back to the shore, +leaving a ruddy stain in the water, while the body of the first dog +which had been seized floated up deprived of life. + +Harry and Reggy, with Mr Hayward, who were leading, now came up, but +the kangaroo observing one side of the water-hole unguarded, suddenly, +with a few bounds, reached it and made off before the dogs could get +round to seize him. Away he went, bounding on as before towards the +scrub in which he might have hoped to obtain shelter. The horsemen lost +some little time in first getting the dead dog out of the water-hole and +by crossing the creek; but they soon recovered their lost ground, as the +kangaroo was becoming wearied with his exertions. + +A thick scrub was ahead, and directly in front were some large trees. +The dogs got almost near enough to catch hold of the tail of the +kangaroo, when renewing his exertions, he managed to jump up close to +one of the big trees, and to turn round with his back to the trunk. +Here he stood at bay, showing, however, not the slightest sign of fear. +As the dogs came barking fiercely round it, Reggy, wishing to display +his courage, leapt off his horse, and was on the point of running up to +the kangaroo when Mr Hayward shouted to him to stop; and he had soon +good reason to be thankful that he had done so, for another of the young +dogs getting within reach of the kangaroo, it struck out with one of its +hind-claws and inflicted a terrible wound on its assailant. The dog, +uttering a yelp of pain, endeavoured to crawl away, but before it did so +another blow stretched it dead in front of the kangaroo as a warning to +its companions. + +It seemed cruel, after the animal had so bravely fought for his life, to +destroy him; but, as he would probably have killed more of the dogs, Mr +Hayward fired and finished his career. + +The kangaroo was quickly skinned, his long tail being secured to one of +the saddles. The best part of the meat, being wrapped in large leaves, +was hung up in the shade, to be carried home on their way back. The +remainder was left as a trap to the dingoes, whom it was hoped would +remain feasting, and be shot by the party on their return. + +The object of the expedition, however, was to hunt emus. Leaving the +scrub, they reached some open downs of wide extent. Keeping, by the +captain's directions, on the lee side, they rapidly advanced, with a +bright lookout ahead. The emu will run from human beings, especially +from blacks. It is not, however, afraid either of horses or drays. It +greatly resembles, in size and shape, the ostrich; but its colour is of +a uniform brownish-black with feather-like hairs in lieu of feathers, +and it has no wings, but its legs being very strong it can run at a +rapid rate. As its head reaches seven feet or more from the ground it +can obtain a wide view over the plain. + +Mr Hayward, who well understood the habits of the bird, rode on in +front. At length he made a sign that he saw emus in the distance, when +the whole party, as had been arranged, dismounted and led on their +horses, keeping them between themselves and the emus. They were thus +able to get within a couple of hundred yards, when the wingless birds +showed signs of alarm. Mr Hayward gave the signal to mount, and +leaping on his horse the rest followed his example, and the emus set off +running at a speed calculated to try the mettle of the fleetest horse +and the endurance of the dogs. The pack, with loud yelps, bounded after +them, followed by the horsemen, whose object was to keep them together. + +The emus had no intention of being caught, but they had the wind against +them, which somewhat impeded their progress. Two, however, showed signs +of flagging, and the dogs got up to them. It would have been better for +them had they kept at a respectful distance, for the hindmost emu +kicking out struck one of them on the chest, and sent it flying among +its companions. The rest of the pack taking warning kept out of reach +of the bird's powerful feet. At length one of the hard-pressed +creatures dropped to the ground, where it was speedily despatched by the +captain, while Mr Hayward and the boys galloped after the remainder of +the flock. Two more were run down and killed in the same manner. The +skins were soon taken off and thrown across the horses' necks. A +portion also of the flesh was secured, as Harry, Reggy, and Edgar +expressed a strong wish to taste it. + +The party then commenced their return home. On reaching the spot where +the kangaroo had been killed, they caught sight of a pack of dingoes, to +which they gave chase. Bruce and his companions pulled down several of +these pests to the settler, and others were shot. Not a particle of +kangaroo remained on the ground. The dingoes had been unable to reach +the meat hung up among the branches, although, from the appearance of +the trampled ground beneath, they had evidently made great efforts to +get at it. There were numbers of flies, however, buzzing around, and in +a very few hours it would have been uneatable. This was only one of +several kangaroo and emu hunts in which the boys took a part. Even +Hector acknowledged that there was some fun in the sport, though he +should like to have turned out in a red coat and riding-cap. + +"With the thermometer at ninety in the shade?" remarked Harry. "I don't +think you would ride out a second time in such a fashion." + + + +CHAPTER NINE. + +A BLACK HELP FOR BIDDY OBTAINED--BENDIGO, HER HUSBAND--PRODUCTS OF THE +ESTATE--SHOOTING EXCURSIONS--HECTOR AND THE LEECHES--THE BOYS AWAKENED +BY A LAUGHING JACKASS--A FLOOD IN THE RIVER. + +Things went on quietly enough at the farm, until one day Biddy struck-- +not for wages, but for help. She could not bear to see the young ladies +do the work they were compelled to do, and yet it was more than she +could do herself. + +The captain inquired whether she would object to a black help. + +"Sure not, yer honour, if she kapes a dacent tongue in her mouth," +answered Biddy. So the captain rode out to obtain the assistance Biddy +asked for. A short distance away, a small tribe of friendly blacks were +encamped; among them was one called Bendigo. He had frequently visited +the station, and was ready to make himself generally useful by chopping +wood or occasionally assisting the shepherds. He had a wife named +Betty, who, if she was not pretty to European notions, was thought to be +so by Bendigo, and she was a young, good-natured, merry little woman. + +The captain invited the couple to come and take up their abode on the +farm. They were to have a hut to themselves. Betty was to help Biddy, +and Bendigo was to do any work required of him. The offer was accepted, +and Betty was forthwith installed as Biddy's help. Her costume when she +made her appearance was not altogether suited to her new style of life, +as it consisted of a man's old shirt and a piece of grass matting as a +petticoat. + +The young ladies immediately manufactured for her a robe of blue serge +trimmed with red braiding, while Biddy initiated her into the use of +soap and water, to which she had hitherto been a stranger. She +carefully brushed her hair and combed it out with a horse-comb, none of +those in ordinary use being strong enough for the purpose. + +Betty was immensely proud of her new costume, and hurried away to +exhibit herself to her husband and the other black fellows on the +station. Had not Bendigo stopped her she would have gone off to the +camp; but he, not without reason, feared that she might have been +deprived of her new dress by some of her beloved relatives. + +Every morning she appeared at daybreak, and if Biddy overslept herself +she was sure to awaken her by loudly knocking at the door of the kitchen +in which Biddy slept. They were very good friends, though neither could +understand a word the other said. But Betty quickly learned, after a +certain sort, Biddy's language, and, as may be supposed, a very curious +lingo was the result. Harry declared that any day Betty might be taken +for a black Irish girl. + +"Sure we have no naguers in the ould country, Master Harry!" answered +Biddy. + +Betty soon learned to perform any work she was shown how to do; but she +preferred tending the children, and if she saw them running down to the +river, or wandering too far from the house, she was after them like a +shot, always bringing them back in her arms, sitting down and lecturing +them after her own fashion--telling them of a fearful monster which had +its abode beneath the water, or of wild men who lay concealed in the +scrub ready to carry them off and eat them. Poor Betty had no notion of +right or wrong, and, although she did not steal or tell falsehoods, it +was from the belief that the white people, who knew everything, would to +a certainty find her out. As soon as she had obtained some knowledge of +English, Mary and Janet endeavoured to instil into her dark mind some +religious ideas. It was long, however, before they were satisfied that +she had comprehended the simplest truths. + +The family were now anxiously waiting Paul's return. All the flour in +the store-room had been exhausted, but they were not so badly off as +they might have been in some regions. The captain had an acre or more +planted with the sweet potato--a species of yam, each root weighing from +three to four pounds, and sometimes even more. Biddy had learned to +cook them properly, when they appeared dry and floury. Though the +cousins at first declared that they were too sweet to eat, they +acknowledged, however, when dressed under the roast meat, that they were +very nice. Then they had bananas, a pleasant, nutritious fruit. The +captain, on first coming to the farm, had formed a plantation of these +trees, and as they had been well protected they had escaped destruction +from the hurricane. The trees were raised from suckers, which grew +around the bottom of the parent tree. Within eighteen months from the +time the plants had been set out the trees began to bear fruit. This +comes out from the centre of the plant, and hangs down in a large bunch, +five or six in a bunch. + +One great advantage was that there were ripe bananas all the year round, +though they were most plentiful in the summer. The trees were upwards +of twenty feet in height, with broad green leaves four to six feet in +length. There was an avenue composed of them running from one side of +the garden to the other, which afforded at all times a delightful shade. +The stems contain a quantity of fibrous matter, which makes excellent +rope. + +"We shall not starve while we have these to subsist on," observed the +captain to his brother. "The people in the south call us `Banana-men'; +and not a bad name either, for with their aid we could manage to subsist +on beef and mutton, even had we no other vegetable productions to depend +upon." + +Mary and Janet had nearly two hundred hens in their poultry yard, and by +attending carefully to them and not allowing them to stray, they were +able to obtain several dozen eggs daily. + +Hector and the younger boys frequently went out fishing, but Harry and +Reggy preferred shooting. On one occasion Hector volunteered to +accompany them. + +The boys were feeling somewhat fatigued from their walk, when they +reached a large water-hole, which they had not before visited. + +"The water looks very refreshing; I intend to have a bath," said Hector, +beginning to undress. + +Just then Harry caught sight of a flight of parrots, which had pitched +in some trees near at hand. Reginald and he crept near. Firing +together they brought down nearly a dozen. They were picking up the +birds when they heard Hector cry out. Running back to the water-hole, +they saw him almost in the middle. + +"Help me! help me!" he shouted. + +"Why, if you've got thus far, why can't you wade back again?" asked +Harry. + +"There are some horrid creatures sticking to me, and I don't know what +they will do," cried Hector. + +Harry and Reggy, caring nothing for the wetting, plunged in, and soon +helped Hector back on to dry ground. He had not cried out without +reason, for what was their dismay to see twenty or thirty leeches +sticking to his body, and several had fixed themselves to their own arms +even during the short time they had been in the water. They pulled them +off as fast as they could, but found it no easy matter to stop the blood +which flowed from some of the spots to which the creatures had fixed +themselves. + +"I shall bleed to death! I shall bleed to death!" sighed poor Hector. + +"I don't think things will be so bad as that," said Harry. + +The leeches were very small at first, looking somewhat like thick bits +of hair, but they rapidly began to swell, and two which stuck on Reggy's +wrist, which he did not observe while assisting his brother, had grown +to the size of his little finger. Fortunately the leeches were wiped +off poor Hector's body before they had time to extract much of his +blood. Although he declared that he felt very faint he soon recovered, +and being attended to by Reggy and Harry, put on his clothes, vowing +that it should be the last time he would ever bathe in that detestable +country. + +"All water-holes have not got leeches in them," observed Harry. "There +are none in those near Stratton, and I would advise you to break that +resolution." + +Hector, however, declaring that he felt very ill, insisted on returning +home. + +"Any news of Paul yet?" asked Harry, as they arrived at home. + +"Not a word," said his father; "if he does not appear to-morrow I intend +to ride out and try to discover him." + +Hector, meanwhile, was bitterly complaining to his mother of the +sufferings he had endured. "I wish that you'd let me go back to +England, or try and get me some gentlemanly post in Sydney or +Melbourne," he said. + +"I will ask your father," was the answer. + +The captain, to whom Mr Berrington communicated his son's request, +laughed heartily. "I am sorry for the poor boy. He would find that he +had dropped out of the frying-pan into the fire. If he cannot find +occupation in the bush, depend upon it he will not in the city. People +there do not want fine young gentlemen any more than they do here. Do +not let him go, as you will only be throwing your money away, but have +patience with him, and by degrees he will get accustomed to our ways, +and prove useful at last." + +Mr Berrington told his son "that he would think about the matter," and +Hector used to talk to his cousins of the Government appointment he +expected soon to obtain. + +The heat had been very great. Not a cloud was in the sky, and not a +breath of wind fanned the topmost boughs of the tallest trees. Captain +Berrington had determined on starting to discover what had become of +Paul. Rob and Edgar were awake before daylight. The whole family +intended to be up to see the captain off. The window was left open on +account of the heat. Presently, from the wood close at hand, there came +forth a wild shriek of merry laughter, which made Hector start up. + +"Where in the world did that come from?" he exclaimed. + +Rob pointed to the wood. + +"What can it be?" asked Hector. + +Rob did not answer, amused at his cousin's astonishment. + +Again, another jovial peal of laughter, followed by a self-satisfied +chuckle, came from the wood. + +"What is it? What is it?" asked the others. + +"You would have heard it before, many a time, if you had been awake at +this hour," answered Rob. "That is the settler's alarum--the laughing +jackass." + +"Laughing jackass!" exclaimed Hector. "I never heard that a jackass +laughed, and I don't see one there," for in his eagerness he had jumped +up, and gone to the window. + +The dawn, it should have been said, had just broken. + +"Wait until we have more light," said Rob; "perhaps you will then see +our friend. I can just make him out. He is not down on the ground, +where you are looking for him--he is up in yonder tree." + +"Up in a tree?" exclaimed his cousins, in chorus. + +"Yes; he generally lives up there, but he does not indulge in such +uproarious laughter until early in the morning. I suppose he laughs at +the folly of people lying in bed, and so tries to wake them up." + +Hector and Edgar were more mystified than ever. At last they caught +sight of a large brown bird with a big beak, sitting on a bough and +nodding its head, and then laughing away with all its might. They could +now no longer have any doubt whence the sound proceeded. + +Just then Harry, arriving from the hut, came into the room. + +"Come along, Harry," cried Reggy, "you said there would be time for a +bathe before breakfast." + +"I'm your man," said Harry. "Come, be quick, Hector, or we shall be +back before you have put the finishing touch to your toilet." + +The two lads hurried down to the river. Except in the water-holes which +were joined by a trickling rivulet the whole bed was dry, but the ponds +were of sufficient depth to afford a pleasant bath. + +The boys were on the point of throwing off their clothes to plunge in, +when Harry exclaimed, "Hark! what's that sound?" + +"It is like distant thunder," answered Reggy. + +"It can't be thunder, there's not a cloud in the sky," replied Harry. +"It seems to me to be coming right down the river. I don't like it; I +heard just such a sound some years ago, when a great flood came down and +rose nearly up to the house. We won't bathe, but run back and tell +father; he'll judge what it is and what's best to be done." + +The boys hurried back; but before they had got up to the top of the bank +the roaring sound had greatly increased, and Harry was more convinced +than before that a heavy flood was approaching. + + + +CHAPTER TEN. + +ALARMING PROGRESS OF THE FLOOD--THE CAPTAIN REMOVES HIS FAMILY TO HIGHER +GROUND--THE BOYS, IN THEIR EAGERNESS TO SAVE MORE PROPERTY, ARE CUT OFF +BY THE WATER. + +Directly on receiving the information brought by Harry and Reggy, +Captain Berrington hurried down to the river, followed by Hector, Rob, +and Edgar. Presently, as they looked up the dry bed between the high +banks, they saw a wall of water moving on towards them, such, on a +smaller scale, as might have been beheld by the Egyptians when +attempting to cross the Red Sea. But this was high enough to overwhelm +any human beings, or horses or cattle, which might have been in its way. +The summit hissed and foamed, rising almost to the top of the bank. No +streams advanced before it: it was literally a wall of water. On it +came, its roar growing louder and louder. In less than a minute after +it had been seen it rushed by, filling the whole bed of the river, and +sending its surges up those portions of the bank which sloped more +gradually. + +"Back, back, boys!" shouted the captain. + +They had to run as quickly as their legs would carry them to avoid the +torrent. Where the ground had just before been perfectly dry there was +now a hissing, foaming torrent of yellow water, carrying along branches +of trees, and even big trunks. The captain, who had been joined by his +brother, watched it anxiously. + +"I had hopes that this was merely the result of a thunder-storm up the +country," he observed; "but see, it continues to rise, which shows me +that there must be a vast volume of water behind what there is here. We +have some cattle feeding on the low land higher up; I trust that White +has had the discretion to drive them to the upper ground." + +"I fear some animals have been caught, if not ours," observed Mr +Berrington. "There go the bodies of two heifers. See, here comes a +third." + +The captain was silent for a few minutes. "Harry!" he exclaimed, "run +and tell Sandy to put the horses in all the drays, and bring them down +here." + +"What's that for?" asked Mr Berrington, as Harry ran off to obey the +order. + +"The river once came up within three feet of the house. Had it risen a +foot higher it would have flooded the whole ground. It may rise two, +three, or four feet higher than that. I wish to be prepared for the +worst, and to save what property we can, with our wives and children, in +case the house should be flooded." + +The captain desired all the party to return with him, and then announced +his apprehensions to the ladies. "We will breakfast first, and then +pack up the most valuable portion of our property, so that we may decamp +if necessary," he said, calmly. His spirit inspired the rest: even Mrs +Berrington, who for a wonder had got up, ate some breakfast. The boys +set to with a will. + +"You know we may have some work to do, and it's wise to take in plenty +of provender beforehand. We don't know when we may have time to eat +again," observed Harry, cracking his third egg. + +His brothers and cousins followed his example, in spite of the roaring +sound which continued outside. + +Biddy and Betty were busy packing up the cooking utensils, while the +ladies were employed in filling their trunks with their clothes and the +most valuable articles they possessed. Poor Mrs Berrington's state can +better be imagined than described. Her sister's time was much taken up +in endeavouring to calm her alarm. The captain again went out. The +river, as he feared would be the case, had greatly increased. Still, it +might possibly not rise higher than it had done before. He stuck +several poles in the ground to mark its progress. The first, then the +second and the third, were reached with unexpected rapidity. Already +the water was rushing over the opposite bank where the ground was +lowest, sweeping everything before it. There was a danger that the +scrub being carried away might form a dam lower down, and, if so, create +much greater damage than if the river continued open to its mouth. + +"I wish the drays would come," the captain said to his brother. "We +must get our wives and girls as soon as possible to the top of the +ridge. I thank heaven this did not occur at night, or we might have +been washed out of our beds." + +Still Mr Berrington could not believe that the water would come up +higher. + +"Look there!" said the captain, pointing to the southward among the +trees; "it is flooding the whole scrub. In a short time this place will +be surrounded." + +As he spoke, two or three kangaroos and several wallabies were seen in +the distance making their escape into the open. + +"These fellows know there is danger, or they would not be going at that +rate," observed the captain. + +As the drays had not arrived, Reggy offered to set off to hurry them on. + +"We intend to take you for a morning drive," exclaimed Mr Berrington to +his wife, in as cheerful a voice as he could command. + +"But why should we leave the house?" she asked. + +"Merely as a matter of precaution," answered the captain. "It is +possible that the water may reach close up to us, and the ground between +this and the ridge is lower, so that we should have a difficulty in +crossing it should the house be flooded." + +"Here come the drays," cried Rob, who had been looking out for them. +Harry was driving one, Reggy another, and Bendigo a third. Sandy and +the men had galloped off to gather in the cattle on the higher ground, +and Bendigo and Harry had had a hard matter to put to the horses, which +had caused the delay. + +"There is no time to be lost now," whispered the captain to his brother. +"We will load the drays as fast as we can. You shall drive your wife +and mine, with the young children; the rest of us will follow as soon as +we can." + +Without a moment's delay the drays were loaded. Biddy and Betty, as +Harry declared, "worked like troopers." The trunks and boxes having +been put in, their bedding was placed on the top of them. Still there +was all the furniture and various articles which it seemed a pity to +leave to the mercy of the flood. + +"You go on, father," cried Harry to the captain, "with the girls; Reggy, +Hector, and I, with Biddy and the blacks, will soon load up with a few +more things and quickly overtake you." + +The captain, who was anxious to place the girls in safety, with a +portion of their property, trusting to Harry's discretion, followed his +advice. + +"Don't delay," he shouted, pointing to the water, which was already +overflowing the kitchen-garden, though it had not yet reached the road +they were to cross. Hector was ashamed to ask to go with the captain, +though he would infinitely rather have done so. He, indeed, exerted +himself far more than he had ever been known to do before. + +Biddy and Betty were as active as ever, carrying out all sorts of +things, some of which might have been left behind, until Harry and Reggy +pointed out what was considered of most value. Already the dray was as +full as it could hold. Bendigo shouted out that it was time to be off, +and jumped on the seat. + +"We go now, we go now!" he cried. + +Biddy and Betty clung to the hinder part of the dray, struggling in vain +to get in. + +"Off with you," exclaimed Harry; "we will follow on foot." + +Bendigo cracked his whip, and his horses dashed forward at such a rate +that it was a wonder the dray did not immediately capsize. Harry +watched it anxiously as it went down a dip from which there was a gentle +rise. Already a stream of water was running through the hollow, but it +looked a mere rivulet, not half a foot deep, which could be passed over +with a good spring. + +"It is a pity we should not get a few more goods," said Harry; "although +I don't believe the water will reach the house: yet, if it does, +everything will be spoiled, if not washed away." + +They hurried through the rooms, picking up whatever they thought most +valuable. Even Hector was inspired with a desire to save something, +especially several articles belonging to himself. Harry had taken a run +into the kitchen, where he discovered some dampers, which Biddy in her +alarm had forgotten to remove from the ashes. + +"It is a pity to lose these," said Harry, clapping them into the pockets +of his jacket--good capacious ones, as every bushman's should be. There +was, besides, a pot of yams, by this time completely cooked. + +"Here, Reggy, stow some of these away," he cried out. "The chances are +that we shall not have too much to eat on the top of the hill there, +unless Biddy has been more thoughtful than she appears to have been when +she left these. What she could have been about I don't know!" + +So busily were they engaged that they did not hear the increased roar of +the waters. + +"Come, you fellows, it's time to be off, I'm sure," cried Hector, who +had been feeling very nervous all the time. + +"Just half a minute longer," answered Harry; "I must lash these things +up." + +Hector, however, would not stop, and rushed out of the house. Directly +afterwards he came back, looking very pale. + +"The water is rushing through the hollow like a mill-sluice!" he +exclaimed; "we shall lose our lives if we attempt to cross." + +Harry and Reggy followed him out. He spoke too truly. They were cut +off from what was now the mainland by a foaming torrent twelve yards or +more in width, which was carrying along fruit-trees, rocks, and palings, +whirling them round and round so that it would be impossible to swim +across or to wade, even should the depth allow of their doing so. +Hector threw down his load and wrung his hands. + +"Stay!" cried Harry, "we've got a ladder! we may get across by that." + +They all three ran back for it, and attempted to throw it across, but +the channel was too wide, and it was almost torn from their grasp. It +would have been lost had not Harry fastened a rope to the lower round, +by which it was hauled in. + +"The ladder may be useful for another purpose," observed Harry. + +They lifted it up and carried it back to the house. The water was by +this time rising even faster than before. The maize field, the yam and +potato-ground, the orchard and kitchen-garden, were all flooded. +Palings and hedges were everywhere giving way before the torrent. A +rise of another foot would bring it up to the walls of the house. The +floor was somewhat higher, so that it would not damage that much should +the flood cease to rise when it got thus far. But would it cease? was +the question. If it once began to beat against the walls of the house, +would they stand? Reggy proposed climbing up to the roof by means of +the ladder. + +"That would be a place of very doubtful safety," said Harry. + +They looked up the stream, now extending a quarter of a mile or more on +either side of its original bed. The whole country around them seemed +flooded, with the exception of the hill to which the drays had gone. + +"I am afraid that it will reach the stock-yard," said Harry, "and it +must be close to it already; if so, the cattle will have a poor chance. +See, it has already carried away the hen-house, and there go the poor +hens, flying away towards the nearest branches they can reach. +Unfortunately, I cut the wings of a number only the other day because +they would stray, and now they will all be lost." + +"Oh! what shall we do? What shall we do?" exclaimed Hector. + +"We are not going to lose our lives if we can help it," said Harry, who +retained his presence of mind. + +He was just then watching the piggeries. The torrent struck them, +carrying away the palings and letting the inmates loose. + +"Foolish beasts!" exclaimed Harry, "instead of swimming towards the +shore they are going with their heads down the stream, taking it quite +coolly. They might have been on dry ground in five minutes if they had +gone in the right direction." + +Notwithstanding Harry's warning, Hector insisted on getting upon the +roof. + +"The water would surely not rise much above the floor, and as the house +had withstood the hurricane it would not be knocked down by the flood," +he said. + +Calling to Reggy to help him, he climbed up and took his seat on the +ridge. + +"Come up! come up!" he shouted to Harry and Reggy; "you will be safe +enough here." + +"You had better come down and get up that tree," answered Harry, +pointing to one which stood on ground of the same level as the house, +and but a short distance from it. + +Besides its trunk there were the numerous pendants, which had struck +down and taken root, so that it was more likely to resist the torrent +than any other of the trees near. + +Hector, however, was obstinate. He was confident that he was safe, at +all events for the present, and thought he should remain so. + +"I should grow giddy if I were to climb up into such a tree as that," he +answered; "Reggy, you may go if you like, but I'll stay here." + +Harry, who carried the ladder, placed it against the tree, which reached +sufficiently high to enable them to get hold of one of the lower +branches, by which they could hoist themselves higher. Harry, however, +had no intention of going up until it became absolutely necessary. +Still the water rose. It was now sweeping over the ground on which they +stood. Reggy, again entreating Hector to come, rushed up to the tree +and mounted the ladder. Just then the captain and Mr Berrington +appeared in the distance. The roar of the waters prevented their voices +being heard. Their alarm at seeing their boys placed in so perilous a +position was, of course, very great. Harry saw them making signs and +pointing to the tree. + +"They want you to do as I advise," shouted Harry. "Come down! come +down!" + +Hector felt the house shake, as a surge beat against it larger than any +of its predecessors. He lost confidence in the safety of his position. + +"Slip off the roof by the verandah," shouted Harry. + +At length, as he saw Harry still standing below him, not being aware +that the water was over his ankles, he slid down. + +When Hector discovered that he must jump into the water, he attempted to +climb back again. This, however, from his alarm, and from being +unaccustomed to climb, was more than he could do, and down he slid, +Harry catching him at the bottom. + +"Now run for it!" cried the latter, seizing him by the arm, and they +made towards the ladder, the water hissing and foaming at their heels. + + + +CHAPTER ELEVEN. + +THE BOYS TAKE REFUGE IN A TREE--THE HOUSE CARRIED AWAY--DESTRUCTION OF +CATTLE--A COW CAUGHT IN THE BOUGHS--A NIGHT UP THE TREE--HARRY KEEPS UP +THE SPIRIT OF THE PARTY. + +The flood came roaring up, carrying everything in its course on either +side of the ground over which the lads were making their way. Hector +had begun to cry out when he saw how high the water was. + +"It won't wash us away yet, never fear," exclaimed Harry, dragging him +along. It was almost up to their knees, however, before they reached +the ladder. + +"You go up first," said Harry. "Be quick about it; I'll follow." + +Hector began to climb the ladder much slower than Harry liked, for as he +looked round he saw a huge wave, far wider, though not so high as that +which first appeared, roaring and leaping as it came down the river. +Trees and fences, which had hitherto withstood the flood, gave way +before it. + +"Quick, quick," cried Harry, shoving Hector up, "it will be upon us in a +few seconds, and may carry the ladder away." + +On it came, surging up against the walls of the house. Reggy caught +hold of Hector's hand and handed him up on the branch. + +"We must get higher up than this," he shouted; "look there! look there!" + +Harry again turned round. The house seemed literally to melt away +before the flood. The water rose around it, and then, as the wave +rushed on, the fragments of the walls and roof were seen floating on +mixed with articles of furniture, chairs, tables, and bedsteads. Now +the wave surged against the tree. Harry had just time to spring on to +the branch, and to secure the ladder by a rope when the lower end was +lifted, and it would have been carried away by the flood had it not thus +fortunately been secured. The lads watched the various articles as they +floated by, hopelessly lost, for in a few minutes they would be driven +by the current against the trunks of trees, or the rocks, and would be +dashed to pieces. + +By climbing out to the end of a branch Harry was able to see where his +father and uncle were standing, and to make a signal to them that he and +his cousins were safe. This must greatly have relieved the mind of the +captain and his brother, though they probably still considered the lads +in greater danger than they themselves were inclined to believe that +they were. + +Several trees had been uprooted and carried along by the torrent, and +theirs might share the same fate. Harry returned again to the end of +the branch, and found that his father and uncle had gone away to look +after the party on the hill. + +Harry now proposed that they should get higher up, for the water had +already risen several feet above the ground, and might in a short time +be up to the branch in which they sat. Higher and higher they got. + +"When is it going to stop?" cried Reggy. "Harry, do you think this is +such a flood as that which drowned all mankind except Noah's family?" + +"I'm very sure it is not," answered Harry. "God promised never to send +such another, and put His bow in the clouds as a token. I have heard of +many such floods in this country, though this, to be sure, is higher +than any we have known, and I cannot account for it; but I have not the +slightest doubt that it will stop before long, though no doubt it will +have done a great deal of damage. That cannot be helped. It might have +come on at night, and we might all have been washed away before we knew +where we were, or fifty other things might have happened. We have +reason to be thankful, as matters might have been worse." + +"I don't see how that could be," cried Hector. "To have to take refuge +in a tall tree, cut off from all help, without anything to eat or drink, +is as bad as one can well conceive." + +"Come, come, don't grumble; it never makes a person happy, though it is +said there are some fellows who are never happy unless they are +grumbling, but I don't believe that." + +"But if the flood does not subside before night, where are we to sleep?" +asked Hector. + +"Why, up in the boughs, like birds or 'possums, to be sure," answered +Harry. "By-the-bye, we may find a 'possum, and he may serve us for +supper." + +"But how can we get a fire to cook him?" inquired Reggy with a slight +suspicion that Harry was quizzing his brother. + +"Oh, as to that, we must eat him raw; but many a sailor, wrecked on a +desert island, has had to live on worse fare," said Harry. + +"Oh, dear! Oh, dear! I wish we had never come out to this horrible +country. We shall be starved, to a certainty," moaned Hector; "I'm +desperately hungry already." + +"Are you? Poor fellow! then you will have to come to 'possum, or have +to eat a tree-lizard, or our friend the laughing jackass, or her eggs, +if she happen to have a nest in this tree. We must set off on a voyage +of discovery directly." + +"I wonder you can joke, placed in so fearful a position as we are," said +Hector, in an angry tone. + +"What would be the use of moaning and sighing, I should like to know?" +asked Harry. "I always like to make the best of things. The flood +won't last for ever. It is sure to go down in two or three days or a +week at the most, and in the meantime we must make ourselves comfortable +where we are." + +"Comfortable, indeed! up a fig-tree with nothing to eat," groaned +Hector. + +"Well, well, old fellow, things are not so bad as that. Here's a bit of +damper to stay your appetite until we can catch a 'possum or a laughing +jackass for dinner;" and Harry produced one of the dampers which he had +stowed away in his pocket. + +This somewhat consoled Hector, who had hitherto declared that he could +never touch such doughy stuff, although he ate his share eagerly, as did +Reggy his. + +"It may be a satisfaction for you to know that I have got some more," +said Harry; "but it won't do to eat them all up at once; we must put +ourselves on an allowance, or we may have to starve at last. Now let us +see how things are getting along." + +Harry looked out from the leafy covert in which the three lads had +ensconced themselves high up among the forks of the huge tree. The +flood was still surging on, setting towards the south-east, and +spreading farther and farther over the country. He was grieved to see a +number of bullocks floating by, showing that the flood must be sweeping +over some of the pastures, and have carried them off before they could +be driven on to the higher ground. They were in all probability his +father's. Their loss must inevitably be very heavy. Their house and +the greater part of their furniture was gone. How many heads of cattle +he could not calculate. Other settlers farther down must have suffered +in the same degree, perhaps in a still greater. + +"We ought to be thankful that the lives of all the family have been +saved, and three drays full of property. If father hadn't been wide +awake, they would have been lost too," said Harry. At last he caught +sight of some pigs feeding on the shore. "Well, those fellows have +saved themselves, at all events, and I see some hens, too, in those +trees; well, matters might be worse, we must acknowledge that." + +Reggy agreed with him, but nothing would comfort Hector; his only remark +was that--"It is a horrible, detestable country; if I can once get out +of it I won't come back in a hurry." + +"Three little blackbirds sat in a tree--Singing, heigh-ho, heigh-ho, +fiddle-de-dee," sang Harry. "Now I vote we make a nest for ourselves; +as to the water sinking low enough to allow our getting on shore +to-night, that's out of the question. Come, Reggy, help me up with the +ladder, we must not let that go; we may find it useful in getting down +some day or other, and the rope will help to make our nest." + +They hauled up the ladder and placed it horizontally across the boughs. + +"Stay," cried Harry, "if we get it up into this fork it will serve as a +back to our sleeping-place, and the rope passed two or three times +backwards and forwards will secure the sides." Harry had his axe in his +belt. "We must cut some boughs to raise the sides, lest we should stray +in our sleep and tumble overboard." + +By creeping along one of the boughs they were able to reach some small +branches suited to their purpose. These were secured by means of some +of the fine vines which hung about the boughs. Harry and Reggy declared +the nest they had formed was perfect. + +"I vote we have an annual feast here in commemoration of this flood," +said Harry, "and we will invite our friends to join us." + +"It will hold all who come," growled Hector. "I would rather try to +forget so disagreeable an event." + +"There are some fellows who are never satisfied," said Harry, looking +away from Hector. + +Harry did his best to keep up his cousins' spirits and his own by +talking away. Their conversation was interrupted by feeling some heavy +body strike the tree, and looking down they saw a bullock, which had +come down the torrent, driven against some of the lower branches, on +which the poor animal was endeavouring to find a foot-hold; it +succeeded, and remained fixed in the boughs. Its struggles soon ceased, +and it was pretty clear that, overcome by its exertions, it was dead, +for its head hung over the boughs into the water. + +"No fear of starving," said Harry; "we may have as much beef-steak as we +like." + +"Thank you! I'd rather not eat such horrid stuff," said Hector. + +"As you please," answered Harry. "The time may come when you will +change your tone." + +Night was approaching, the water was evidently rising less rapidly than +before, still it was spreading over the country. Here and there +hillocks and knolls appeared like islands in the midst of the sea. + +"I wish that we had brought a gun with us; we could have made a signal +to our friends that we are all safe. My fear is that they will be +anxious about us." Harry did not for a moment think about himself. +"Well, old fellows, it's time to turn in." + +After they had finished their frugal supper of damper and sweet potatoes +they arranged themselves for the night. + +"Don't take to walking in your sleep, Hector, and you'll be all right," +said Harry. + +"But what if the tree should give way! I'm certain I felt it shake," +groaned Hector. + +"Cling to the boughs like grim death," answered Harry; "it won't sink, +and we shall be floated to shore somehow or other." + + + +CHAPTER TWELVE. + +AWAKENED BY THEIR FRIEND THE LAUGHING JACKASS--ANOTHER DAY UP THE TREE-- +THE FLOOD SUBSIDES--RETURN TO DRY LAND--FIND THE FAMILY ENCAMPED--PAUL +RETURNS. + +The darkness of the night contributed to make the position of the three +lads even more trying than it had been during the day. Notwithstanding +Harry's assertions, even Reggy could not help fearing that the tree +might be carried away. The roar of the waters did not for a moment +cease, while the wind howled through the branches, and the occasional +lowing of some heifers more fortunate than their companions, and who had +landed on some island knoll, reached their ears. The stout tree, +however, held firm, and after some hours' anxious watching they all +dropped off to sleep. They were awakened by a loud cheerful cachination +close above their heads, and on looking up, what should they see but +their friend the laughing jackass, looking very much surprised to find +them in such near proximity to its mate's nest. + +"Much obliged to you, old fellow," said Harry to the bird, which nodded +its head in response, and laughed again as if he were going to split his +sides. + +"That's a good sign," observed Harry; "there's no storm coming, or he +would not be so merry. It's my belief that we shall find the water has +dropped considerably." + +Harry was right, for on looking down they saw the unfortunate bullock +hanging in the branches considerably above the surface, while the force +of the current was evidently much lessened. The water, indeed, at the +first glance seemed to be sinking into the earth, but, watching more +narrowly, they could detect currents running from all quarters into the +main stream, which still went hissing and foaming on as before. + +They all felt very thirsty, but none of them were inclined to drink the +muddy liquid which flowed by them. At last they could hold out no +longer, and Harry, unreeving the rope, descended to the water and +brought up a hatful. It did not look nearly as yellow as they had +expected, and they were thankful to quench their thirst. The day wore +on. + +"If no further flood comes down, I really believe that we may be able to +get on shore to-night," said Harry. + +"I hope so, indeed," moaned Hector; "to have to sleep again up among the +boughs would be terrible; my back aches fearfully." + +Harry proved to be mistaken, for when darkness returned the water was +still too deep to allow of their making their way to the hill where they +hoped to find their family, especially as they could not tell what +channels and holes might have been formed by the torrent. They had +still enough damper and sweet potato to last them for another meal. + +They were again awakened by that irrepressible fellow, the laughing +jackass, at early dawn, and on looking out from their leafy bower they +found that the ground beneath their feet was dry. + +"Now let us get down and make the best of our way to the hill, to let +our fathers and mothers know we are safe," he exclaimed. They soon +reached the ground. To walk over it, however, was not very easy, as it +was thickly covered with slime. Not a vestige of the house remained, +nor a fence of any sort. The whole land had been reduced to a perfect +wilderness. + +"It is ours still, however," observed Harry, "and will probably prove +twice as fruitful as it was before, and won't require manuring for years +to come. I dare say father will think of that, and it will be some +consolation to him. Now, let's move on." + +This was more easily said than done. They attempted to walk steadily, +but, instead, went slipping and sliding about, and in some places they +could with difficulty make progress. They had not gone far when they +caught sight of Mr Hayward. He expressed his delight at seeing them. + +"We have indeed been anxious about you, though the captain was satisfied +that you were safe," exclaimed their tutor. + +On getting off the ground which had been covered with water, the boys +hurried on, and soon reached the hill, on the side of which, under a +grove of acacia-trees, they found the family encamped. The tent which +had been stowed at the station had been put up for the accommodation of +the ladies, while the rest of the party slept either in or under the +drays. They had not in reality suffered much hardship, as they were as +well off as they would have been in making a journey, with the exception +of want of bread. + +Mrs Hugh and her daughters were making the best of everything, though +it was sad for them to contemplate the fruitful spot amid which their +house had stood, now a slimy wilderness. + +"Any news of Paul?" asked Harry. + +Captain Berrington shook his head. "I am thankful I had not started +from home when this occurred; but I must now try and learn what has +become of him," he answered. "Should he have escaped all other dangers, +he may have been caught by this flood; and I am indeed very, very +anxious." + +Harry told Mr Hayward what his father had said. + +"I am ready to start this instant, either alone or with any one whom +your father will allow to accompany me," he said. + +"I'll go!" cried Harry. + +"You may be wanted; there is work to do for all hands, though perhaps I +can best be spared," answered Mr Hayward. + +Thinking that Bendigo might be useful in learning from any blacks they +might meet if Paul's drays had been seen, he asked whether he would go. + +Bendigo replied that he was quite ready. Harry, also, to his great +satisfaction got leave to accompany his tutor. + +As the horses were quite fresh, and the saddles had been saved, they +agreed to start immediately; though they would have to trust to their +guns for provisions, except when they could fall in with any +sheep-stations, where beef and mutton could be procured. + +Everywhere as they rode along were signs of the destruction caused by +the flood. + +"It must be a lesson to us and others not to build near one of these +rivers, liable to such inundations," said Mr Hayward. "Had not your +father possessed cattle and sheep, he would have been ruined; as it is, +he has suffered severe loss. But how admirably does he and your mother +bear it, as they do the prolonged absence of Paul. It raises them more +than ever in my estimation. I hope we shall be fortunate in finding a +satisfactory spot for a new location, as he will not be again tempted to +build in his old one. I believe if Paul is restored to them safe, they +will look upon their losses as trifles." + +This conversation occurred on the second day of their journey. They had +just mounted a slight ridge, and before them spread out a wide extent of +level land. + +"I think I see something very like a dray, with two horsemen near it," +said Harry. + +Mr Hayward could not make out the objects which his young companion's +sharp eyes had detected; still they both instinctively increased their +speed. + +"I'm sure it is a dray, with a man on horseback. The dray is very like +ours, and the rider like Paul. Hurrah!" cried Harry, and putting spurs +to his horse he dashed forward. + +Mr Hayward followed, although not quite as fast, and saw Harry shaking +hands with the stranger; and even he was soon convinced that the first +of the two was Paul. + +After the first greetings were over, and they were once more moving +towards Stratton, Paul described how he had been attacked by +bush-rangers, whom he had beaten off, and his narrow escape from the +flood. + +Paul, as may be supposed, was received with joyful welcome by the +family. + +The first thing to be done was to build a house for the ladies, where +they might be secure should another inundation occur. The captain, +however, was of opinion that that was not at all likely, as the late one +was higher than had ever been known to take place by the oldest +colonists. Towards the proposed work all hands devoted the whole of +their energies; and hewing, sawing, and carrying of timber went on from +morning until night. + +In little more than a week, a tolerably substantial house of a size +sufficient to hold the ladies of the family was put up, but some days +more were required to manufacture bedsteads, chairs, tables, and other +articles of furniture. However, within a fortnight the family were once +more settled, and a stranger visiting them would not have supposed how a +short time before they had been houseless. + + + +CHAPTER THIRTEEN. + +THE EXPLORING EXPEDITION SETS OUT--PASSAGE OVER THE MOUNTAINS-- +PRECAUTION AGAINST THE NATIVES--WITNESS A CORROBBEREE--ESCAPE FROM THE +BLACKS--THE PARTIES SEPARATE. + +The captain was anxious to commence, without a moment's delay, his +proposed exploring expedition. He intended to form two parties, so as +to inspect a large tract of country in a short time. + +Naturally, his brother would have taken one, and he the other; but Mr +Berrington was so little accustomed to bush-life, that the captain +persuaded him to remain at home, and to let Mr Hayward lead the other +party. + +Hector, who had no great liking for Mr Hayward, begged that he might +accompany his uncle. + +Sandy would have liked to follow his master, but his duties kept him at +home. + +"Mr Berrington is a verra gude gentleman, but he kens little about +farm-work as yet, and I canna trust him," he observed. + +The captain took the most trustworthy of the men, thus making up his +party to four. Paul, Harry, and Reggy accompanied Mr Hayward, and with +the addition of Bendigo, who was likely to prove very useful, their +party was complete. + +They were all well mounted, Paul having Old Bolter to ride. Their +equipment was simple in the extreme. They each carried their rifles and +pistols, with a good supply of ammunition, small shot and bullets, axes +and long knives, a blanket to sleep in at night, and a tin pannikin; +while between them they had a kettle for boiling water, a camp oven, two +large canvas water-bags, a store of tea, salt and pepper, some flour in +a bag, with a thick piece of canvas for kneading it, while sugar and all +other luxuries were dispensed with. + +Their dresses were red shirts, thick duck trousers, broad-brimmed hats, +blucher boots, and leggings, with a strap round the waist to hold the +axe and pouch containing matches, knife, and other small articles. +Their course was to be towards the west and north-west. The first four +or five days they were to travel together, after this they were to +separate, the captain keeping a little to the northward of west and then +circling round to the southward; and Mr Hayward travelling to the +southward of west and circling round to the northward; and then to +return towards the spot from whence they had started. They would thus +explore a wide extent of country, and would, they hoped, find a suitable +spot for forming a fresh location. + +The boys were in high spirits, forgetting all their previous troubles. +The expedition they were undertaking was exactly what they had often +talked about doing alone, without any grown-up person. However, Mr +Hayward always made himself so completely one of them that they were +glad of his society. + +The country they passed over during the first two days they were well +acquainted with, and they met with no adventures. The first night they +stopped at a hut on their most remote out-station. Beyond this they +reached a lofty range, on the opposite side of which their explorations +were to commence. As it rose in the distance it appeared to be no +formidable barrier, but as they got near, lofty cliffs or precipices, +and steep slopes covered with brushwood, seemed to rise out of the +plain, such as must present an almost insuperable obstacle to the +progress of the horses. Hector declared that no human being could +surmount them. + +"We must get up somehow or other, and with our horses too," answered +Captain Berrington, laughing. + +In a short time they found a dry channel down which a torrent had made +its way, and by this they proceeded, still keeping in their saddles. At +length, however, they had to dismount to climb a steep slope among rocks +and trees. Now they turned to the right, now to the left, now they had +to descend a shoulder of the mountain, now to ascend again, the captain +carefully marking the way by barking the trees, or, where there were no +trees, by piling up fragments of rocks. + +The eastern was fortunately the worst side of the range. The descent on +the west side down a moderate slope brought them into an undulating +park-like plain, covered with grass sprinkled over with the ever-present +blue and white gum-trees, while just before them appeared an open patch +of green plain, offering a tempting feed to cattle. + +Smoke ascending from two or three shepherds' huts in the distance showed +that this part of the country was already occupied. They had, +therefore, to proceed until they could reach an unclaimed district. The +last night the party were together they camped in a wood on the borders +of a river in which, though its course was dry, there were several +water-holes within half a mile of each other. + +As they had ridden on all day without water for the horses they halted +early. The captain, however, would not allow a fire to be lighted until +nightfall, lest its smoke might attract the attention of the blacks, +who, although they might not venture to attack them, would watch their +future movements, and perhaps, if unfriendly, cause them some annoyance. + +At night there would be less risk of a fire being seen, unless by any +one coming close up to the camp, providing the flames were not allowed +to ascend to any great height. The horses, as usual, were hobbled near, +and they were sure not to stray away from the good grass and water. + +As usual, the captain and Paul, who were the best shots of the party, +took their guns to provide supper and breakfast, no difficult task, as +parrots, pigeons, and other birds abounded. They brought back an ample +supply, with the addition of a wallaby and a bandicoot. The larger +portion of the latter animals would serve as a supper for the dogs. The +boys had taken off the edge of their appetites with some cold damper, +which they had brought in their pouches, and some wild fruit they had +met with, but were very glad when the captain allowed them at last to +light the pile of sticks they had collected, to put on the kettle, and +to begin roasting the game. Harry and Reggy undertook to make some +fresh dampers, Paul to attend to the camp oven, while Hector was set to +turn the spits. The rest of the party were clearing the ground round +the fire, bringing water, looking after the horses, and putting up some +slabs of bark to serve as a shelter for the night. All hands were "as +busy as bees," as Harry remarked. + +Supper over--the last they expected to take together for some weeks-- +most of the party prepared for rest. The fire was allowed to smoulder, +but no fresh sticks were put on, and they believed that even should any +natives be in the neighbourhood they would not have discovered the camp. + +Harry proposed, before turning in, taking a bath in another water-hole, +a short distance down the bed of the river, as they did not quite like +the idea of bathing in the one from which they were to fill their kettle +and water-bottles the next morning. The sun had only just disappeared, +though darkness was rapidly coming on. However, there was the moon +which would enable them to see their way. They could not possibly lose +it by returning along the bank of the river; but as the scrub was +tolerably open and the ground hard, they settled to make their way +through it instead of trudging over the soft sand in the bed of the +stream. + +They had got near the water-hole when they saw a number of small lights +moving among the trunks of the trees, now appearing, now disappearing. + +"Why, those must be fire-flies," cried Reggy. + +"They are far too red and bright for that," whispered Paul; "don't speak +above your breath. The lights come from the fire-sticks carried by +natives, they always move about with them by night, and they are +gathering round the water-hole. See! there are others coming from an +opposite direction, they are either going to have a corrobberee or a +fight, perhaps both; we must take care not to be discovered. They are +so intent on what they are about, however, that they are not likely to +observe us." + +"I should like to see what they are going to do," said Reggy. "We need +not retreat, I suppose?" + +"Oh, no! let us stop," said Harry. "They will not find us out if we +keep quiet." + +"We had better be off," remarked Hector, somewhat alarmed; "they may +knock us all on the head." + +"No, no," replied Harry, "we have our arms, and we are not going to run +away from a few blacks; I vote we stay and see what is going forward." + +Paul consented, though he felt it would be more prudent to return to the +camp and warn their friends of the neighbourhood of the natives. + +Concealed by some low bushes they remained where they were, and could +see all that was going forward. Suddenly all was dark, but the sound of +the natives' voices showed that they were still near where they had +first been seen. Presently bright flames burst up from the ground--a +fire had been lighted, but no one could be seen. + +"They are between us and the fire," whispered Paul. + +"I hope they are not coming this way," said Hector. + +"No fear of that," answered Harry. + +A minute elapsed, when Hector uttered an exclamation in a voice so loud +that it was a wonder it did not betray them. + +"Oh, look there! look there! what can those horrid things be?" + +As he spoke, at the opposite side of the fire there appeared what looked +exactly like a band of dancing skeletons leaping and twisting in the +most grotesque fashion. At the same time wild shrieks, cries, and +shouts rose from a hundred voices, intended to represent singing, +accompanied by the rattling of musical instruments, and the slapping of +their parchment-like skins by the older natives rose in the night air. +Now all the legs on one side would go up, now those on the other, now +the arms would be thrown above the grinning skulls, now they would be +placed akimbo, now they would sink close to the ground with bended +knees, now spring up into the air. Indeed, they assumed in succession +every possible attitude, all moving together as if pulled by one string. +Then, as suddenly as they had appeared, they vanished from sight. + +Reggy was on the point of crying out when Paul put his hand on his +mouth. + +"Can those be real skeletons?" inquired Hector. + +"Oh, dear, no!" whispered Paul; "they are merely blacks who have painted +their bodies in that curious fashion. They are holding one of their +corrobberees. They will keep it up all night, and little rest we shall +get while they are howling and shrieking in this fashion." + +The boys, however, remained some time watching the strange, weird scene. +It would be difficult to describe the various antics performed by the +savages. So amused were the lads that they forgot how time passed; but +Paul at length suggested that they should find their way back. It was +no easy matter to do so through the thick wood, although they were +assisted in steering their course by the noise behind them. At last +they reached the bank of the river, when they were able to make better +progress. They found the captain and the rest of the party very anxious +about them. The noise of the natives had reached the camp, and it was +feared that they might have fallen into their hands. Bendigo advised +that they should start before daybreak. + +"Black fellow sleep then; no come after us," he said. + +The captain resolved to follow Bendigo's advice, but not to separate +until they had proceeded some little way farther westward; so that the +blacks, when they should discover their trail, would be influenced by +the number of persons forming the party, and not venture to follow them. + +A strict watch was, of course, kept during the night. Paul, his +brother, and cousins, notwithstanding the noise, slept like tops. At +the hour proposed the horses were caught and the party mounted. + +The explorers crossed the bed of the river some way to the north, at a +distance from the blacks' camp, and, as the ground was level, were able +to make good progress. At noon they stopped at a water-hole, which, +though very muddy, enabled them to give a draught to their horses; but, +unless it could be filtered, they felt no inclination to drink it +themselves, their water-bottles being full. A fire was lighted, and +some pigeons and other birds shot and cooked. + +The two parties now separated, the captain pointing out the course Mr +Hayward was to take, while he struck more to the northward. What +adventures might they not encounter before they again met! + + + +CHAPTER FOURTEEN. + +STOP AT A SHEPHERD'S HUT--SUFFERINGS FROM WANT OF WATER--MR HAYWARD +TAKEN ILL--RETURN TO THE HUT--THE YOUNG EXPLORERS PROCEED ALONE. + +The captain's party was soon lost sight of. The boys rode on in high +spirits. In spite of the heat the air felt pure and bracing. The +scenery for miles, however, was unvarying--everywhere the same gigantic +gum-trees were to be seen; but vast as were their limbs, they afforded +but little shade. Some were scathed and leafless, from others hung in +tatters long strips of bark, giving them a peculiar, ragged appearance. +In the evening they reached the hut of a shepherd. On account of the +blacks there were two hut-keepers, sturdy fellows, well-armed. They +said that further west there were no other white men, and as they +themselves had never been more than a few miles from their hut in that +direction they knew nothing of the country, but that there was a +water-hole at the extreme limit of the station in the direction the +explorers were proceeding. It was full, the shepherd said, when he was +last there, but he could give them no other information. He and his +mate would be very happy to accommodate them for the night; but Mr +Hayward, after surveying the interior of the hut, replied that he and +his party would not incommode them, but would be content to sleep round +their own camp fire, under a neighbouring tree. Tea, damper, and mutton +were, however, plentifully supplied by their hosts. + +Roused next morning by a laughing jackass, who had conveniently perched +himself on a bough overhead, they took breakfast in the hut with the +shepherd, and set off at the time he drove out his flock to pasture. + +"I am very much afraid we shall be disappointed after all," said Paul, +as they approached the water-hole. + +"Why?" asked Reggy. + +"Because I see no cockatoos, laughing jackasses, or other birds flying +about. If there were water they would be there." + +Paul's fears were realised--there was not a drop of water in the hole. + +"Patience," cried Paul; "we shall probably fall in with another before +night." + +The poor horses, however, suffered more than their riders, as they had +still some water in their canvas bottles. They rested for a time in the +shade under the trees round the water-hole, and then again rode on. +They were now in a perfectly new country. They kept their eyes about +them on every side to discover such a region as they were in search of. +They passed through a country which might have suited their purpose, but +there was a great drawback--the want of water. That was absolutely +necessary for either a sheep or cattle station. They rode on and on, +their horses began to droop their heads; all that could be done was to +moisten the poor animals' lips with a little water from the bottles. + +"What would I not give for a large, juicy water-melon?" exclaimed Harry. + +"Don't talk about such a thing," said Reggy; "still I shouldn't mind a +few bunches of grapes." + +"They are sour enough now," observed Paul; "but cheer up, the trees look +thicker, and we shall come on water soon, or I am very much mistaken." + +Mr Hayward had spoken but little during the day. The boys observed +that he was not in his usual spirits; though he did not complain, he was +evidently ill. As the day advanced he grew worse, and Paul would have +proposed stopping had they found water, but it would be out of the +question to camp without it. Bendigo had never been in this part of the +country, as he belonged to a tribe which inhabited a region to the east, +until the white man came and drove them farther into the interior. The +signs of water, however, should there be any in the neighbourhood, were +not likely to escape his observation. He frequently stood up in his +stirrups to look about him, but each time shook his head, observing, "No +water here." + +For several hours the poor horses had not tasted a drop, while they +themselves had had barely sufficient to wet their lips. They were more +likely to find it by going straight on than by turning either to the +right hand or to the left. So on they went. + +The day was drawing to a close, not a sign of water appeared, when +suddenly Bendigo shouted, "Dare, dare!" and pointed to some trees which +could be just seen in the horizon. + +They pushed on, but on reaching the trees, the hollow in which water +once had been was dry. A chorus of groans escaped the explorers. "On, +on!" cried Paul. + +"We must not despair, we can hold out a few hours longer." + +The moon got up, and, relieved from the heat of the sun, the explorers +were better able to endure the want of water. Mile after mile they went +on, their weary horses, however, moving but slowly. At length Paul +cried out, "My beast seems to fancy that water is near; I feel him +tugging at the rein." + +"So does mine," said Harry. + +Bruce gave a bark, signifying his satisfaction, and dashed on. A silver +spot appeared ahead, lighted by the beams of the moon, which had now +risen high in the sky. The horses galloped on, Bruce dashed forward, +Mr Hayward seemed to revive. They reached a large water-hole! It was +necessary to keep back the horses, however, lest they should rush in and +stir up the mud. Paul and Harry dismounted, and while Bendigo took +charge of their horses, they, unstrapping their pannikins, hurried down +the bank. It was no easy matter to fill them, as they had to go down +the bank, and then to wade through the mud to get to the water, which +looked so bright at a distance. + +"Take care that there are no leeches," said Mr Hayward. + +Paul had a piece of linen through which he strained the water from one +pannikin to another, then handed it to Harry, who carried it to their +tutor before he would touch any himself. Reggy was next served, then +Harry, and Paul drank last. How delicious the liquid tasted. + +"I could drink a dozen pannikins full," said Harry, as he drained off a +second. + +"So could I--two dozen, for that matter," said Reggy. + +Paul had, therefore, no sinecure in filling the pannikins. Bruce had in +the meantime quenched his thirst. + +At last, as Harry said, "having taken off the edge of their thirst," +Bendigo and the horses might now drink. The steeds were then hobbled, +and preparations made for camping. + +Bendigo said that he did not think any black fellows were in the +neighbourhood, as he could discover no traces of them near the edges of +the water-hole. None of the rest of the party could have pronounced an +opinion on the subject. + +The moon shone brightly over the ground, the fire was lighted, and +damper and tea quickly made, while some birds which they had shot in the +morning, and had been carried hung to their saddles, were speedily +cooked. + +During the night Mr Hayward grew so much worse that Paul thought he was +going to die. To advance, with the risk of not finding water the next +day, would be madness. Paul suggested that they should go back to the +hut, and leave him with the shepherd, while they went forward to meet +the captain, who would otherwise become alarmed at not seeing them. + +Mr Hayward agreed to this, though he expressed a hope that he might +sufficiently recover to be able to accompanying them. "We will wait +here a day, however, and see how I am. After a short rest I may be +strong enough to go forward." + +During the day Paul and Harry shot several birds and pigeons, three +ducks and a couple of wallabies. While Reginald sat by Mr Hayward, +Bendigo wandered about in search of fruits and roots, which none but a +black would have discovered. When well boiled the latter served instead +of potatoes, while the wild fruits were very refreshing. They had thus +an abundant and varied fare. + +Mr Hayward did not appear to get better. They had come away without +medicines, no one dreaming of being ill; still Paul hoped that their +tutor would be sufficiently recovered to continue the journey the +following morning: but when the time came, it was evident that he was +not in a fit state to run the risk of having no good water to drink. +They determined therefore to go back together, though two days would +thus be lost. By starting at sunrise they made good progress during the +cooler hours. Having filled their water-bottles they had enough to last +them during the day, and to wet the lips of the horses and Bruce. + +It was not until nightfall that they got back to the shepherd's hut. +The men promised to take every possible care of Mr Hayward, who, though +not much worse, was certainly not better. He assured his young +companions that he should recover in the course of a few days. "At all +events, do not fail to come and look for me on your return," he said, +smiling. "I should not like to be left here longer than is necessary." + +They remained only during the night, and again starting before the sun +rose they reached the water-hole where they had before camped by +nightfall. + +It was satisfactory to find no traces of blacks. Bendigo now assumed a +great air of importance. Paul and Harry agreed that he fancied himself +the leader of the party. "Let him do so," said Paul, "it may make him +more careful. He will consider himself responsible should we meet with +any misfortune." + +Travelling through a new country, hitherto untrod by the foot of a white +man, is no doubt very interesting in theory, but it becomes dreadfully +wearisome in practice. To go on hour after hour with huge gum-trees on +every side, the only change being the sight of a kangaroo, a wallaby, a +bandicoot, or a jolly little paddy-melon hopping away. + + + +CHAPTER FIFTEEN. + +THE EXPLORERS RUN SHORT OF POWDER--SCANTY FARE--CAMPED AT NIGHT-- +CONTINUE JOURNEY--BENDIGO OBTAINS HONEY. + +Two days had passed away; the young explorers made good progress. They +now discovered, what caused them some anxiety, that they were running +short of ammunition. Without it they would have a difficulty in +obtaining food, although Bendigo and Bruce might help them. It was +absolutely necessary to retain sufficient powder to protect themselves +should they encounter any hostile blacks. Paul insisted that they +should not fire another shot, except to kill a kangaroo or emu; at the +same time, he did not wish to confess to Bendigo the small amount of +ammunition they possessed. They had thus been for some time on short +commons, and were beginning to feel the effects of scanty fare. Bendigo +trapped several creatures, now and then catching a 'possum in its hole, +or an iguana. Occasionally he found eggs where they themselves would +not have discovered them. Had they been able to preserve the animals +they caught they might have subsisted very well; but after a few hours, +even though the meat was cooked, it became uneatable, and they were +obliged to give it to Bendigo or Bruce, who were not so particular. + +They had been very unsuccessful all day, and had made a long march, when +they encamped somewhat earlier than usual near a water-hole. They were +fully aware of the risk they ran when selecting such a spot of a visit +from the blacks; but they hoped, by keeping a good watch, not to be +surprised by them. They knew that their chief danger would arise should +they not be prepared; for when the natives see white men on their guard, +they will seldom venture to attack them. The fire had been lighted, +but, excepting a 'possum and a few small eggs, and a little damper, they +had nothing to eat. They had, however, a good supply of tea, the most +welcome of beverages, the only one which can be taken with impunity +under all circumstances. + +An hour or more after dark was spent in talking over the prospects of +their journey. In three or four days more they hoped to meet the +captain's party. + +Bendigo and Paul, accompanied by Bruce, having made a circuit of the +camp, to be sure that no natives were lurking near, the whole party lay +down to rest. + +For the first time during their expedition, the following morning they +started without breakfast, except a draught of cold water. + +"I hope we shall find something during the day," said Harry. "This sort +of work doesn't tend to keep up a fellow's spirits, and we shall be +inclined to give a less favourable report of the country than it +deserves." + +As they rode along they carefully observed the character of the trees +and soil over which they were passing. The grass was thicker and +greener than they had anywhere seen it. Of course they kept an anxious +lookout for game. They caught sight of kangaroos, wallabies, and other +small animals in considerable numbers, but were unable to catch them, or +even get near enough to shoot one. + +Reggy now began to cry out bitterly for food. + +"People told us that this land, was one flowing with milk and honey; we +have had none of either since we started on this expedition," he +exclaimed. + +Just as he said this they observed Bendigo watching something in the +air, and, urging on his horse, he started off ahead of them towards a +large tree, beyond which they caught sight of the glitter of water. +Near it were some trees with wide-spreading boughs, intertwined by +numbers of the never-failing vine. Here was just the place they wanted. + +Bendigo, knowing that they would camp there, dismounted, and hobbled his +horse. They then saw him narrowly examining a tall gum-tree, up to +which he had ridden. It must have been a hundred feet in height before +any branches were reached. + +"If he sees anything up there it will be of little use," observed Reggy, +"for I am sure he will never get it." + +"Stay a minute," answered Harry; "the black knows what he is about." + +Bendigo, without explaining his object, cut some long vines; he then +rapidly plaited, from the grass growing near, a rough basket, which he +fastened to his belt. Taking the vines, he now twisted them in the form +of a hoop round the tree, leaving sufficient space to admit his own body +between the trunk and the hoop; holding the hoop in both hands, he +jerked the side furthest from himself upwards. He then cut with his +hatchet a notch for his feet, and then gave another jerk, and cut +another notch, and thus up he went until he reached the branch. + +The boys had never seen their black companion perform this feat before, +and felt no little fear that he might slip down. It was wonderful with +what rapidity he went up, evidently feeling himself perfectly secure. +In a few minutes he returned, having cut a large comb of honey out of a +hole high up in the tree, the owners of which were seen hovering about +their rifled abode. Having descended, he handed his prize to Paul, who, +placing it on a slip of bark, which served as a dish, served it on +leaves to his companions, with whom he shared it. + +Without waiting to be complimented for his performance, of which he +seemed to think nothing, the black again started off, and ascended +another tree, towards which his quick eye had detected some bees flying. + +The young explorers, who had eaten nothing for some hours, set to with a +will, and quickly devoured the first comb, wax and all, being ready for +the second, which Bendigo soon brought them. He again came back with a +third, which, however, they could not attack, so he ate the greater +portion himself, giving the remainder to Bruce, who gobbled it up with +evident satisfaction. + +"Plenty of food now," said Bendigo, as he led his companions from tree +to tree, some of which were oaks, and others honeysuckles. Wherever +there was a hole in the trunk it was occupied by a colony of bees. The +insect which makes this honey is exactly like a common house-fly in +appearance, the combs being generally small and the wax quite black. +The cells into which the comb is divided are two or three times larger +than those of the English bee, and are roundish and irregular in shape, +but the honey is very good, being sweet, and having besides a slight +pleasantly acid taste. As these bees possessed no sting, they could be +robbed with impunity of the result of their industry. Since that time +English bees have swarmed in prodigious numbers over the country, and +now afford ample food to whites and blacks alike. + +"While we can get this honey there is no fear of starving," observed +Paul. + + + +CHAPTER SIXTEEN. + +A SUITABLE SPOT FOR A STATION FOUND--ENCAMP ON A HILL--BLACKS DISCOVERED +TO BE IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD--PREPARATIONS FOR DEFENCE--ATTACKED BY THE +NATIVES--AMMUNITION EXHAUSTED. + +The young explorers had been upwards of two days travelling through a +splendid country, subsisting chiefly on honey, though they might have +revelled in abundance had they ventured to use their guns, when they +came in sight of a river of veritable running water, bright and clear. +In the distance, moreover, were a range of hills of no great elevation, +but rising precipitously apparently out of the plain. Not without some +difficulty they found a ford, by which they crossed the river. It ran +south for some distance, then circled round in front of the hills, and +then again struck off south and east. They galloped forward, eager to +ascertain the character of the hills, for much depended on their being +precipitous or not. Paul surveyed the country with a delighted eye. + +"If cattle cannot get over these hills, we have found such a situation +as we might look for over hundreds of miles and not find," he exclaimed; +"they form a fence along one side and a half of the run, and the river, +which appears to be impassable, except in a few places, will serve for +another side and a half, or more, so that there will be but one outlet +for cattle." + +"Excellent!" cried Harry. "Father will be as pleased as you are, if it +turns out as we hope." + +As they approached the hills they discovered, to their intense +satisfaction, that they were as precipitous as they had expected. +Cliffs from fifty to a hundred feet extended along the whole length of +the range, with here and there dark impassable gullies, having steep +sides, up which no cattle could climb. Down them ran streams of various +sizes, all concentrating in the river through which they had passed. + +"No fear of drought here!" exclaimed Paul. "It is worth all the trouble +we have gone through to find it." + +Returning to the river, they rode along, tracing it as far up as the +range, which extended a considerable way to the southward, and would +serve as a fence to their station. The country on the other side, +further to the south, was more thickly wooded, and consequently afforded +less pasture. There was a risk, to be sure, that the river might +overflow, but they could find no traces of a flood. All would depend on +the place where it took its rise; if in the range above them, there was +no fear, but if it had a long course on the opposite side of the range, +a sudden downpour of rain might swell its waters before they had time to +escape through their natural channel. That important point would be +ascertained when their father arrived. They had, it should be said, +notched the trees as they came along, so that he was not likely to cross +their track. + +"In case there is a chance of the country being flooded, I think we +might build our house on yonder knoll, close under the hill, with the +river bending round it," observed Paul; "it is a beautiful spot, and we +should get a fine view from it over the whole district. I vote that we +camp there to-night, and set up a flag-staff, so that our father may see +it miles off; for I feel sure he will not pass to the west of this range +without first examining the country where we now are." + +Paul's proposal was at once adopted. The trees on the knoll, though +growing pretty thickly, were of no great height, and it would be easy to +cut a flag-staff long enough to rise above them. + +"Old Bolter" was hobbled as usual, and the young explorers, having +ascertained that the river was nowhere fordable in the neighbourhood of +the knoll, nor up to the point where it came out of the hills, the rest +of the horses were turned loose, as there was no fear of their bolting. + +As they hoped their journey westward was now terminated, they ventured +to shoot as many parrots and pigeons as would serve them for an ample +meal. This done, they lighted their fire, leaving Reggy to cook the +birds, while Paul, Harry, and Bendigo went down to the scrub on the bank +of the river to cut a pine suitable for a flag-staff. The soft wood +yielded easily to their axes, and in a few minutes it lay on the ground. +To lop off the branches and bark it occupied but a short time, and +then, all three placing it on their shoulders, they carried it up the +hill. + +"But what are we to do for a flag?" asked Reggy. + +"We must fasten our handkerchiefs and my spare shirt together. A strong +breeze will be required, to be sure, to blow it out; but, depend upon +it, our father will guess what it means at any distance," answered Paul. + +The flag was made, and lashed on with some strips of hide taken from the +last kangaroo they had shot, as they had no halyards with which to hoist +it. The pole was lashed to the trunk of another tree. When it was up, +it was seen to tower above all those on the knoll. They enjoyed a +better meal than they had had for many a day, and drank success to their +new station--for they already considered it their own--in pannikins of +tea. + +While daylight lasted they kept a lookout for the captain and his party; +but their friends did not appear. As far as they could ascertain, no +white man had ever before set foot in that region, and very proud they +felt at being the discoverers of so fine a country. Below them they +could just distinguish their horses feeding quietly, and they felt sure +that the animals would not stray far from the camp. + +Near the top of the knoll, on the steepest side, just behind their camp, +was a huge rock, like an excrescence, although the rest of the elevation +was almost smooth. As the glare of their fire fell on it at nightfall, +it looked like the ruins of an ancient castle perched on the hillside. + +"I vote we call this `Castle Hill;' it will be a good name for our +station," said Harry. + +Paul and Reggy tried to find another name, but could not improve on +Harry's suggestion. At length, as they were all pretty well tired with +their day's work, they lay down by the fireside, wrapped in their +blankets, Bruce keeping watch. + +Two or three times during the night Paul was awakened by hearing the dog +utter a low growling bark. On each occasion Bendigo started up, and +looked out, but did not like to go far in the dark by himself. Paul +asked him if he thought any one was near. + +"Me see in morning," was the only answer he could obtain; and the black +crouched down again, as if going to sleep. + +Paul, confident that Bruce--who was evidently on the alert--would arouse +him should danger be near, again fell asleep. He did not awake Harry +and Reggy, who slept on, notwithstanding Bruce's barking and his +conversation with Bendigo. The black roused up Paul at daybreak. + +"Stay here; me go look round. Black fellows near, I tinkee." + +Harry and Reggy soon got up, and shook themselves--the only dressing +operation they had to perform. + +"I vote we go down and have a bathe," exclaimed Harry. + +"You had better not," said Paul. "Bendigo suspects that natives have +been near us during the night; and I believe that such was the cause of +Bruce's barking. We must look to our arms, at all events, in case they +should prove unfriendly. Not to lose time, let us light the fire and +cook breakfast." + +They all, accordingly set about doing so. As the light increased, Paul +climbed to the rock which has been spoken of, to look out for the +horses; for he naturally feared that, if the blacks had been in the +neighbourhood, they might have driven them away or speared them. + +As he cast his eye over the plain he could nowhere see the animals. +They might, of course, have got round to the other side of the knoll, +but still their non-appearance made him anxious. A shout from Harry, +announcing breakfast, called him back to the camp. Bendigo had not yet +returned. It was not necessary to wait for him. The young explorers +made a hearty meal--Bruce coming in for his share--to prepare them for +the work to be done, whatever that might be. + +They had just finished breakfast, having laid aside a share for the +black, when he was seen coming up the hill, stealing among the bushes. +He shook his head, as he sat down and gobbled up his breakfast. + +"Black fellows here--no good--come again; horses gone too," and he +pointed to the north-east, the only outlet to the region, except by a +ford over the river. + +"We must go after the horses at once, then," exclaimed Harry. + +"No, I certainly would not," answered Paul; "our best plan will be to +remain where we are until we can learn what the blacks are about. +Should they attack us, we could not have a better place for defence than +the one we occupy. If we find that they have driven off the horses, we +might follow and try to recover them; but if not, I again say we should +remain where we are." + +Reggy thought Paul's plan the best, and Harry soon saw its wisdom. +Bendigo also approved of it, and said that he would set out again and +try to discover the whereabouts of the black fellows. + +"There appear to be a good many birds on the knoll. We shall probably +find some 'possums and other animals, so that we shall not want for food +if we can catch them; but we must not throw a shot away," observed Paul. +"We shall want our powder to keep the blacks in check." + +Bendigo told them not to be anxious about food, as he could obtain as +much for them as they could require. Having taken a survey round from +the top of the rock, he glided down the knoll, keeping among the bushes +so as not to be seen by any enemies who might be on the watch. + +Although the three lads kept looking round on every side, they could +nowhere discover him. Harry suggested that they should fortify their +rock with small trees and boughs, which they could easily cut down, and +which would keep off the spears of the natives. + +"A very good idea," said Paul; and they all three set to work, trusting +to Bruce to give them timely notice should strangers approach. They +chose only small trees, which quickly yielded to their axes, and they +were thus soon enabled to form a breastwork on the only accessible side +of the rock. Although it was not capable of withstanding a determined +rush of the enemy, yet as long as their ammunition lasted the blacks +were not likely to come to close quarters. + +They had made some progress in the work, when Bruce suddenly rushed +partly down the hill, uttering a loud bark. The lads instantly sprang +behind the breastwork, ready for action; but directly afterwards Bruce +came back, wagging his tail, and, almost following him, Bendigo +appeared. + +"Black fellows all about," he said, looking approvingly at the +fortification, the object of which he at once understood. He told them +that they need not expect an attack for some time, though he was certain +that the black fellows would surround them should they venture down into +the plain on foot. + +"But how are we to get back our horses?" asked Reggy; "and if we do not +get them back, how are we to return home?" + +Bendigo said that he hoped to recover them, as they were not very far +off. + +"If he does not, we must make up our minds to trudge back on foot. It +will be a long journey, but he will not let us want for food," said +Harry. + +Bendigo, faithful to his promise, again left them, and soon returned, +bringing a 'possum and several combs of honey. He also filled their +water-bottles; so that they had sufficient provisions to stand a siege +of some hours, at all events. He had gone on a second expedition, when +he was seen hurrying back up the hill. + +"Black fellows come!" he exclaimed, as he sprang behind the breastwork. + +The boys got their rifles ready. + +"We must not fire unless the natives show a determination to attack us," +observed Paul; "their blood will then be on their own heads if they do +so. We must get Bendigo to tell them that we wish to be at peace; and +that if they will bring back our horses we will part on friendly terms." + +Paul explained to Bendigo what he wished. The black laughed, as if he +did not consider there would be any use in attempting to come to terms +with his countrymen but merely patted his rifle, as though he considered +that it contained the best argument they could employ. + +They waited for some minutes. + +"I don't think the blacks are coming at all," said Harry. + +"Bruce seems of a different opinion," answered Paul. + +The dog was stretching out his neck, and slowly creeping forward; +presently he gave a loud bark, and then bounded back into the fort. At +the same instant the side of the hill below them appeared covered with +black forms, who kept flitting in and out among the trees, making their +way upwards. Bendigo shouted to them, but they only replied with loud +and derisive cries and shrieks. They had evidently made up their minds +to destroy the white men. Flourishing their spears, they leaped from +behind their cover, and came springing up the hill. + +"Must not we fire?" asked Harry. + +"Wait; they may even yet think better of it," answered Paul. + +A flight of spears came rattling against the breast-work; but, +fortunately, from the distance at which they were hurled, they either +flew over or fell against their fortification. + +In return, the four rifles cracked at the same moment. So well were +they aimed, that the same number of their assailants fell, and rolled +over down the hill, the rest scampering back, in evident alarm, to seek +for the nearest shelter. + +The little garrison immediately reloaded. Though so many of the natives +had been killed or wounded, they quickly regained their courage; and, +having received a lesson, took care as they advanced not to expose +themselves. It was some time before Paul again gave the order to fire. +His bullet alone struck an enemy; the others glanced off against the +trees. They all speedily reloaded, and were ready once more to fire +before the blacks threw their spears, which flew against the rock, +without wounding any of them, although they all had narrow escapes-- +Paul's hat was pierced, a spear grazed Harry's shoulder, and another +flew close to Reggy's ear. Notwithstanding this, they took good aim, +wounding two of the blacks, who--as they had done before--rushed down +the hill. + +"Reload! quick! quick!" cried Paul. + +They all fired at the retreating enemy. + +In the excitement of the moment Paul had forgotten the necessity of +husbanding their ammunition. On examining their powder, they found that +they had not two rounds apiece left. + +In spite of the loss of their companions--two, if not three, of whom had +been killed outright--the blacks, after a short time, began again to +mount the hill. Bendigo, without waiting for orders, fired, being +instinctively followed by Harry and Reggy. Not one of the shots, +however, took effect; and, with shouts and shrieks, the blacks came on. + + + +CHAPTER SEVENTEEN. + +THEIR CONDITION APPEARS DESPERATE--THE CAPTAIN AND HIS PARTY TO THE +RESCUE--RETURN TO STRATTON--THE YOUNGER CHILDREN LOST IN THE SCRUB. + +"Harry and Reggy, we must sell our lives dearly," exclaimed Paul, as he +prepared for a last desperate struggle with the blacks, who were +infuriated at the loss of so many of their companions. The fact that +they had not taken to flight showed that they were a fierce and warlike +tribe, very different from most of those found in the southern parts of +Australia. Harry had climbed to the higher part of the rock to take a +look round. "Hurrah!" he cried, "I see some horsemen coming across from +the north-east, and driving some horses before them. They must be ours, +and the people must be our father's party." + +Paul and Reggy echoed Harry's shout. "We must not give in, whatever we +do," said Paul, "we have our pistols loaded, and we must drive back the +black fellows with them. Don't either of you miss your aim. We must +not fire until they are close upon us. As soon as they come near enough +I'll give their chief, if they've got one, the contents of my rifle, and +that will, perhaps, check them." + +Harry had still kept his post at the top of the rock, and taking off his +jacket he waved it, pointing to the flag which flew just above them, +while he shouted with all his might, forgetting, in the excitement, that +the horsemen were too far off to hear him. His action, however, +attracted the attention of the blacks, and they, looking round, +discovered the horsemen. They immediately halted, and began jabbering +away in loud voices. It was evident that they were alarmed at the sight +of the strangers. + +If three lads and a black had been able to hold them in check for so +long a time, what chance would they have when encountered by a party of +well-armed men on horseback? + +Such, probably, was the tenor of their remarks to each other. +Notwithstanding this their chief endeavoured to lead them up the hill, +apparently hoping to capture the fort before the arrival of the +horsemen. He was flourishing his spear and shouting to his companions +to come on, when he got within range of Paul's rifle. + +"It is his own fault," said Paul, taking aim. His bullet struck the +right shoulder of the savage, who went spinning round down the hill, and +was soon in the midst of his followers, who now took to flight +helter-skelter, and were soon lost to sight among the trees. + +Bendigo proposed sallying out and killing some more of them, but Paul +ordered him to remain quiet. + +"We will hold our position until the white men come up," he said. +"Harry, do you think they are our father's party?" + +"No doubt about it," answered Harry. + +The defenders again raised a loud shout. This time they were heard, +and, the captain leading, they were all soon mounting the hill. All +that had occurred was briefly told. The captain had observed the +beautiful run from the hill, and, fortunately turning back, had +descended, and found the only entrance which existed. He had seen the +flag in the distance, and guessing by whom it was hoisted, was making +his way towards it. + +He at once saw the necessity of teaching the blacks a lesson, and the +horses he had recovered being saddled, the whole party set off in +pursuit. The blacks, however, had got the start of them, and swam the +river, having left their wives and children on the other side. + +"I trust they have received a lesson they will not easily forget, and +that when we come here, as I hope to do, they will not venture to attack +us," said the captain. + +Paul and Harry were delighted at hearing that their father had resolved +to apply for the run. As no one else was likely to have made a claim +for it, there was every probability that it would be granted to him. +They were much surprised at the altered appearance and manners of +Hector, whose cheek was well browned, and who looked infinitely more +manly and fit for work than he had done before. He seemed in good +spirits and greatly to have enjoyed the trip. Indeed, as they sat round +the camp fire that evening, not a grumble did he mutter. + +The captain was, of course, grieved to hear of Mr Hayward's illness, +though he hoped that they should find him perfectly recovered on their +return. The next morning Bendigo went out to ascertain whether the +blacks had taken their departure, while the captain and his party rode +round the proposed run to notch the trees and make other marks for +identifying it. The whole day was thus occupied, and on their return +Bendigo met them with the satisfactory intelligence that the blacks had +gone off to a distance, carrying their dead with them. It was a sign +that they did not intend to come back. + +The following morning, after a good night's rest, the whole party +commenced their journey homewards. The captain, having been very +sparing of his ammunition had sufficient to enable them to obtain food, +though, during two or three days they were somewhat hard put to it for +water. The hole in which they found the dead cattle contained a +sufficient supply for the horses and Bruce, but none of the rest of the +party, except Bendigo, felt inclined to taste it. + +They found Mr Hayward quite recovered. The shepherds had treated him +with all the attention they possibly could. The captain had warned his +party not to speak of the new run in the presence of the shepherds, lest +they might mention it to their employers, and create some dispute. + +Stopping on Sunday to rest, they travelled on for the remainder of the +week, performing nearly thirty miles a day, the horses all the time +obtaining no other food than the grass they could pick up, and often +having to go several hours without water; still they and their riders +got back to Stratton in very good condition. + +The captain had, without loss of time, to go to Brisbane to obtain legal +possession of his new run. As soon as possible after his return, he +intended to set out with his flocks, herds, and his family for the site +of the new station. + +The children, in consequence of the out-door life they led, had got into +somewhat erratic ways. Miss Saville had done her best to teach the +younger girls, as well as Tommy and Albert, but even they were apt to +break loose and to rebel against her authority, as well as that of their +elder sisters. + +The season of wild fruit had come round, and raspberries were especially +plentiful. Rob and Edgar determined that they must go off to the scrub +to obtain a supply for preserving, and Tommy and Albert insisted on +accompanying them. + +"I go too," said Effie; "if we cannot reach the fruit high up, we can +pick that growing near the ground as fast as you can." + +Without asking leave they all set off, having first provided themselves +with large baskets which Rob and Edgar had been busy in manufacturing. + +They would certainly not have been allowed to go without Betty, but she +was watching over little Sybil, who was unwell, and was not aware that +they had set out. They went along to the westward on the edge of the +scrub which the flood had not reached--indeed, its traces had even +disappeared from the surface which it had covered. They were somewhat +disappointed at first in not finding fruit in the abundance they had +expected, and so they went on and on until they reached a part of the +scrub sufficiently open to enable them to penetrate into it. Here Rob +and Edgar thought that they could without difficulty procure plenty of +fruit. They were soon hard at work picking away with great delight. + +"Keep together," cried Rob, "or we may chance to lose ourselves." + +"No fear," answered Effie, "we will look where you go." + +Edgar said the same. Rob felt very proud of being the leader of so +large a party, but in his eagerness to pick a quantity of fruit, he did +not watch over them as carefully as he should have done. On and on they +went, Rob making a remark every now and then to those near him. +Presently he heard Tommy shriek out, "A snake, a snake!" and throwing +down his basket, he ran off towards the more open part of the scrub. + +"Come back!" cried Rob. "It is only a paddy-melon, and won't hurt you +or any one else." + +Tommy, however, would not stop. + +"Come along, Edgar, and catch the child," cried Rob, forgetting Effie +and Albert, whom he had not seen for some minutes. + +It was some time before Tommy could be overtaken. + +"You stupid monkey!" cried Rob, when he caught him; "there are no snakes +here to do you any harm." + +Tommy, however, was not easily persuaded, and still asserted that he had +seen the head of a big snake. At length they got him to come back and +pick up his basket. + +"Hulloa! Where are Effie and Albert?" asked Rob. "We left them close +here, I am sure." + +They looked about in every direction; they shouted, but no answer came. + +"This is provoking!" cried Rob. "I expected those children to keep +close to us; see how obstinate they are! I'll make them remember this +when we catch them." + +Rob became very anxious when, after hunting about for some time, he +could find neither his little sister nor his cousin. How they could +have got out of hearing seemed incredible. Rob, though very clever in +his own opinion, was in a serious difficulty. While he fancied that he +was going west, he had turned east; and thinking that he was just +getting out of the scrub, he found himself, to his surprise, close to +the river. + +His first exclamation was, "Dear me! how could we have got over to the +other side?" Then, after due reflection, he recollected that was +impossible; he must have gone in an opposite way to what he had +supposed. + +Darkness came on. Tommy began to cry, and Edgar felt very much inclined +to join him. "Poor Albert! poor Effie! Where can they have gone?" +They were a long way from home, they knew; but they dreaded going back +without their little brother and sister. Indeed, in the dark they would +be unable to find their way, for they had no notion of steering +themselves by the stars. The fruit, though very fit for making jelly, +was full of seeds, and not satisfying; but they had no other food, so at +last they sat down and ate enough to allay the cravings of hunger. + +The alarm at Stratton became very great when the children did not +return. No one knew in what direction they had gone, but the baskets +they had made had disappeared; consequently, it was supposed that they +had set off on an expedition to pick fruit. At that hour it was +impossible to see their trail; even Betty could not do it. However, Mr +Hayward, accompanied by the boys and Bruce, at once started in search of +the missing children. They made their way along the edge of the scrub, +and penetrated into it whenever they could find an opening, cooing at +the top of their voices, and shouting loudly, "Rob, Tommy, Effie, +Albert! answer! Where are you?" + +No answer came. + +"I trust that the black fellows have not got hold of them," said Mr +Hayward. + +"We must pursue, and get them back," cried Harry. "Savage as the +natives are, they would not dare to injure them." + +Mr Hayward did not reply; he might have known more of the natives than +Harry did. + +At length, having gone some distance, they heard a faint cooey in reply +to theirs. + +"Hurrah! That must be Rob's voice," exclaimed Harry; "though where it +came from I cannot tell. I will cooey again." + +Harry gave another loud cooey; again a distant answer was heard. + +"Why, that must be behind us," said Harry; "it comes from the edge of +the scrub." + +They had by this time made their way into the interior. Bruce, on +hearing the second cooey, pricked up his ears and bounded forward. They +turned back, guided by Rob's voice, and casting the light of their +lanterns about, they at length saw Rob standing up, with Tommy and Edgar +lying down near him. + +"Oh, I am so thankful you have come!" exclaimed Rob. "Have you found +Effie and Albert?" + +The question alarmed Mr Hayward and the other boys. + +"No; what has become of them?" asked Harry. + +"We lost sight of them all of a sudden, and though we hunted about, we +have not seen them since; and then we could not find our way home in the +dark." + +Mr Hayward saw that there was no use in scolding poor Rob, who was +already dreadfully alarmed, and fully conscious that he was to blame for +the loss of the two children. Tommy and Edgar, who had dropped off +soundly asleep from fatigue, were now awakened. + +"I will continue the search for the other children," said Mr Hayward, +turning to the boys; "but the rest had better return with Rob and the +little ones. If I do not soon come back with the children, follow in +this direction in the morning with Bendigo and Betty, who will assist in +tracing them out better than we can. Do not alarm your mothers more +than is necessary, and assure them that I have little doubt but that we +shall find the truants. I will take Bruce with me." + +"Go, good dog--go!" said Harry, patting him on the head. + +Bruce understood his duty, and without hesitation accompanied Mr +Hayward; while Harry and Reggy, taking charge of the children, made +their way back to Stratton with the rest of the party, the younger ones +every now and then sobbing as they thought of their carelessness in +losing sight of Effie and Albert. + +It is needless to describe the alarm which the disappearance of the two +children caused their mothers and sisters. The elder boys were eager to +set off again at once, but were persuaded to wait until daylight; when, +accompanied by the two blacks, they immediately started off to commence +a search for the lost children. + + + +CHAPTER EIGHTEEN. + +THE CHILDREN RECOVERED--JOURNEY INTO THE INTERIOR--ARRIVAL AT CASTLE +HILL--STATION ESTABLISHED--HOUSE ATTACKED BY NATIVES--CONCLUSION. + +Poor Mrs Berrington's anxiety produced a succession of fainting fits; +she therefore required the constant attention of her sister and Mrs +Hugh, who was herself much alarmed at the disappearance of the children. +As soon as the girls had performed the necessary duties of the morning, +they all set out in the direction taken by their brothers, carrying with +them a supply of food, as the party, which had started early in the +morning, had gone away without breakfast. + +It was noon before the girls heard the cooeys uttered by the +searching-party, which proved that the children had not yet been +discovered. + +Hurrying along, they at last came in sight of Reggy, who was at the very +edge of the scrub. + +"Have you seen anything of them?" asked Mary. "Nothing: nor of Mr +Hayward either," was the unsatisfactory answer. + +Poor Mary's heart sank. She dearly loved little Effie, and his sisters +in their way were very fond of Albert; besides, they believed that it +would be the death of their mother if he were lost. + +Reggy gave notice to the rest of the party, when they were within hail, +that the ladies had arrived with some provisions; and although they all +declared that they were too anxious to be hungry, they not unwillingly +partook of the food the thoughtful girls had brought with them. + +Once more they resumed their search; but as hour after hour went by, and +neither the children nor Mr Hayward were found, the anxiety of the +searching-party became almost unbearable. To abandon the search was not +to be thought of. Bendigo and Betty had not hitherto discovered the +trail, for in so thick a wood, it was no easy matter, even for them. + +At length they shouted out, "We have the trail! we have the trail!" and, +like two beagles, off they set, with their noses close to the ground. + +The excitement of the party may be supposed. The boys managed to follow +as quickly as they could, though their clothes were nearly torn from +their backs. The rest of the party remained outside the scrub, keeping +up a communication with those within. The day, however, was wearing on, +and no sign of the children had yet been seen. The sun's rays, as he +sank towards the west, were glancing almost horizontally through the +trees, when a bark was heard. Paul gave a loud cooey. It was answered, +and greatly to their joy they saw Mr Hayward coming along with the +children in his arms. The blacks had only just before discovered him +seated on the ground, and feeding them with some pigeon which he had +shot and some wild fruit he had collected. + +Mary took Effie in her arms, Paul carried Albert on his shoulders, thus +relieving Mr Hayward, who was pretty well worn out. He had gone on all +the previous night, and greater part of that morning, keeping up with +Bruce, who had been running before him, until he was nearly exhausted. +Suddenly Bruce, with a loud bark, bounded forward, and to his great joy +he discovered the children, who had evidently cried themselves to sleep. +On being awakened by the dog, the first thing they did was to ask for +food, which it had taken some time to obtain. + +It was late at night before they got back, when they found Captain +Berrington, and the anxiety which the news he had received on his +arrival had caused was soon brought to an end. He had secured the run, +and wished immediately to set out to take possession of it. He expected +the drays soon to arrive with the various stores and provisions he had +purchased. The elder ladies, Mrs Berrington especially, looked forward +with some alarm to this journey; although Mrs Hugh did not express her +feelings. Aunt Emily and the girls were, however, in good spirits, and +expected to enjoy it. + +At last the preparations were completed. Three drays, each drawn by +four horses, to carry the ladies and children, were covered over and +fitted up internally as comfortably as circumstances would allow. The +other drays, laden with stores, were to be drawn by oxen. Reggy and +Hector rode on horseback, as they would assist in the arduous task of +driving the cattle. The captain, Mr Berrington, and Mr Hayward drove +the three drays, while Paul and Sandy--with the assistance of three +shepherds and hut-keepers--took charge of the sheep. There were three +spare saddle-horses that the young ladies might ride whenever they +wished. Thus arranged, they started early in the morning. + +When the party moved forward, they had the appearance of a large tribe +migrating. The long line of drays, with the herds of cattle, the drove +of horses and flocks of sheep, with their numerous attendants, some +mounted, others on foot; the oxen lowing, the sheep bleating, the shouts +of the drivers, and the stockmen's whips sounding above all. The huge +drays were each dragged by twelve bullocks, the two polers and leaders +being steady old stagers, as were those immediately in front of the +polers. + +Thus they moved forward, resting only on Sunday. The most difficult +part of their journey was surmounting the range, when even Mrs +Berrington preferred climbing up on foot to remaining in the dray. The +bright fresh air, and the necessity of exerting herself, seemed to do +her good; and by the time she reached the top, though somewhat fatigued, +she appeared a different person, being not a little proud of her +performance. Even the warmest admirers of the country, however, had to +confess that there was a great sameness in the scenery, and many of the +rivers and creeks they crossed had no water in them. + +An ample supply of water was carried in the drays for the use of the +travellers; but often the horses, cattle, and sheep suffered greatly +from having to go a long way before a stream or a water-hole could be +reached. + +The gentlemen's guns amply supplied the larder, so that it was necessary +only occasionally to kill a sheep, or one of the oxen. + +"There's `Castle Hill,' mother!" cried Harry, riding up to the dray in +which Mrs Hugh and some of the girls were seated--pointing as he spoke +to the knoll which he and his companions had so bravely defended against +the blacks, and which could be seen below the range bounding the plain +on the west. + +The whole party pushed forward, and by evening were encamped at the foot +of the knoll. Every one was delighted with the situation, while they +felt sure the climate was superior to that of Stratton, although the +soil might not produce the tropical fruits which flourished nearer the +coast. No time was lost in preparing the ground on which to build the +house. To level this sufficiently for the purpose required two or three +days' hard work, but everybody set to with a will. The house was to +face south, overlooking a long stretch of the river, and a boundless +plain beyond, with a view of the picturesque hill on the right. + +We must not describe the house building, every one being engaged in it, +except the men absolutely required to herd the cattle and sheep, and +that was comparatively an easy task. Only one outlet required watching, +and the animals were not inclined to stray from the rich pasture on +which they found themselves. The blacks and dingoes had of course to be +looked after; but Bendigo reported that there were none of the former in +the neighbourhood, although it was impossible to say at what time they +might appear. + +The house, when completed, was far larger than Stratton, and easily held +the two families; while, according to the captain's design, wings could +be put up on either side for the accommodation of any fresh comers. + +Stock-yards and cattle-pens had then to be formed, the latter close to +the river, where the sheep, before shearing, could be washed, a very +important process. + +The station being a large one, the gentlemen were often on horseback +from morning until night, going round to the different runs. The huts +were put up in various directions for the accommodation of the stockmen +and shepherds; in some instances in imitation of Castle Hill, or with +small gardens near them, very unusual, it must be owned, in that part of +Australia. + +On an Australian farm work never ceases, but at certain seasons there is +less than at other times, and on these occasions pleasant excursions +were made on horseback in various directions by the younger members of +the family. + +A party had been formed to visit a waterfall farther off than they had +yet ridden. Paul, Harry, and Reginald escorted Mary, Lizzie and +Gertrude, while Miss Saville, Janet, and Adela remained at home. Mr +Hayward had gone out emu shooting, while the captain and Mr Berrington +had started off to visit a station at some distance. Janet and Adela +were seated at their work in the verandah in front of the house, when +Albert, who was playing in the shade near them, exclaimed, "See! what +can those black things be floating in the river?" + +"They must be fish," said Effie. + +"Fish! No, they are round and black." + +Janet looked out. She, too, could distinguish some black objects. The +captain's spy-glass hung in the hall. Getting it she saw at once that +the black objects were the heads of natives. They quickly came to the +shore and began crawling along towards the house. There were a +considerable number, armed with spears and clubs. In another minute +they would have landed and have escaped her observation, had not it been +drawn to them by Albert's exclamation. They could be coming with no +good intent. All the gentlemen were away. To obtain assistance in time +was impossible. The blacks might attack and pillage the house, and be +off again, before any of the party could return. Sandy, and perhaps +another man might be in the stock-yard near the hill, but how to summon +them in time was the question. + +Janet called Rob, who, with Edgar, was in the carpenter's shop at the +back of the house. + +Rob at once volunteered to go down and try and find Sandy. She charged +him to be careful to keep out of the view of the savages. The first +thing to be done was to shut the doors and windows. Adela and Edgar at +once began to do so, while Janet hurried in to tell her mother, and +aunt, and Miss Saville. The latter immediately assisted in preparing +the house for defence. + +Though the savages, if they intended an attack, might ultimately force +their way in, it would take some time to tear down the shutters, which +were secured by strong bars. The ladies were looking out eagerly for +the return of Rob with Sandy. Scarcely had all the doors and windows +been made fast, than the natives appeared hurrying up the hill with +their spears and clubs in hand. + +"What arms have we got?" asked Miss Saville. "We must use them and +fight to the last, sooner than yield." + +They found two rifles and three brace of pistols. + +"Can you load them?" inquired Miss Saville. + +"I have seen my brothers very often do so, and mamma can, but we will +not call her until it is necessary, she is attending to Aunt Augusta, +who is in a dreadful state of alarm." + +"But where is the powder?" + +"Here is a powder flask," cried Edgar, "but, dear me! there's nothing in +it." + +In vain they searched about. No one could tell where the captain kept +the powder. It was in a safe place, that they knew, and he was certain +to have a store in the house, probably in some spot from whence he could +easily remove it in case of fire. + +"The blacks have evidently been watching the house, and have seen all +the gentlemen go away," observed Miss Saville. "If we could fire a few +shots at them, they would fancy that some of our friends have returned, +and would probably take to flight." + +They hunted round and round; even Mrs Hugh could not tell where the +powder was to be found. Not a moment was to be lost, and already the +blacks were almost at the top of the hill. Up they came, about a +hundred of them. Probably they were those who had attacked Paul and had +been so signally defeated. They had now come to revenge themselves in a +terrible way. The girls could hear them approaching. They halted for +an instant on finding the doors and windows closed, and were consulting +together. They were evidently disappointed, having expected to surprise +the house. At any moment a fire might be opened on them. Finding, +however, that they were allowed to remain with impunity in front of the +house, a party of them rushed up to the door and began battering away +with their clubs, hoping to break it open. In addition to the bars, the +girls had placed the dining-room table and the heaviest articles of +furniture they could find against it. + +"If they break in we must run for refuge to mamma's room, and barricade +the door as well as we can. We may delay them, at all events. Oh! if +we had but a charge of powder, one single shot might frighten the +savages." + +All this time the search was continued for powder, but with the same +want of success. Already the door was giving way. It was strong and +heavy, being formed of thick slabs fastened to cross-pieces. First one +slab was broken and beaten in, then another, and the blacks began to +thrust through the hole with their spears. + +"We must fly!" cried Miss Saville, taking Effie and Sybil. "Do, Janet, +do, Adela--come, come; do not venture to remain here longer. Run, Edgar +and Albert! the savages will kill you if you remain." + +"I will show them the muzzle of this rifle; it may keep them in check +for a few moments longer," exclaimed Janet. Taking the weapon, she +thrust it through the gap made by the blacks' clubs. + +It had the effect Janet expected. Once more they retreated, but finding +that no shot was fired, the savages again came on. Blow after blow +resounded on the door, the splinters flew about, when with a loud crash +the door gave way. Two or three savages were on the point of springing +in, when a rifle-shot was heard, and one of them fell; the next instant +Janet, who was the last to leave the spot, saw Mr Hayward spring +forward and with the butt of his rifle strike down two more. What was +her alarm, however, to find that instead of flying, the rest were +attacking him with their clubs, the blows of which he could with +difficulty parry. Still he bravely kept his post in the verandah, +preventing the blacks from again stepping on to it. + +Several minutes he waged the unequal fight, keeping the blacks at bay. +Already he had been struck more than once; his strength must fail at +last. Some savages farther off, finding that the clubs of those in +front were of no avail, rushed forward with their spears, and in another +instant they would have pierced the white man, when a couple of shots +laid two of them low. The shots were followed by the appearance of Rob, +Sandy, and Jock Andrews, one of the men, who furiously threw themselves +on the savages, Rob firing his pistol at the head of one of them. The +blacks, not knowing how many white men might be following, took to +flight and rushed down the hill, allowing Mr Hayward and the rest time +to reload. Janet, from behind the fragments of the door, handed out the +two rifles, which Sandy and his companion loaded and as quickly +discharged at the flying enemy, whom they then pursued down the hill, +uttering loud shouts, in which they were joined by Bruce's fierce bark, +he having at that instant been attracted to the spot. + +The blacks made straight for the river, into which they plunged and swam +across, without even looking behind them; nor did they stop on landing, +but made direct for the "bush." To follow them would have been useless +with so small a party. + +Mr Hayward was anxious to get back, to ascertain if any of the ladies +had been injured, and to repair the damage caused by the savages before +the return of the party on horseback. There was some risk that the +savages might fall in with the latter. + +Brave little Rob offered to gallop off to warn them. Jock Andrews +begged that he might go with Master Rob. There were still two horses in +the paddock, though not very good ones. They were quickly caught and +saddled, and Rob and his attendant set off. They had to cross by the +ford some way down the river, in which direction the riding-party was +coming. They would have to make a wide circuit, so as not to fall in +with the blacks. + +Rob and Jock rode on as fast as their sorry steeds would allow, looking +out for the savages, who might, they feared, be on the watch for the +riding-party, to revenge themselves for the defeat they had suffered. +They had gone some distance, when Jock exclaimed-- + +"There they are, Master Rob, there they are!" + +"What, the blacks!" cried Rob. "We must keep clear of them, and gallop +on." + +"No, sir, the captain and the ladies," answered Jock, who, standing up +in his stirrups, could obtain a wider view than his young companion. + +"Hurrah!" cried Rob, and he dashed on to meet the party. + +"What has happened, my lad?" exclaimed the captain in a tone of alarm, +on seeing him approach. + +Rob briefly explained what had happened. + +"Thank heaven that they have escaped," said the captain. "We nearly +fell in with the blacks, but seeing a mob of them in the distance, I +thought it prudent to make a circuit, and so avoided them, or I don't +know what would have been the consequences." + +The captain was, of course, anxious to reach home. The remainder of the +distance was performed at a gallop. They found Mrs Berrington greatly +recovered, and Mrs Hugh as calm as ever. Janet and Adela received +their meed of praise. They had proved themselves true heroines, for had +it not been for their courage and presence of mind--in all human +probability the whole family would have been destroyed by the savage +blacks. + +Paul and Harry immediately volunteered to ride off and obtain the +assistance of the police, lest the blacks--as it was probable they would +do--might return. + +While the lads were gone, the captain and his brother, with Mr Hayward, +the rest of the boys, and the men, employed themselves in repairing the +door and further fortifying the house. Their labour was rendered +unnecessary, however, by the arrival of a strong party of police, led by +Paul and Harry, who had fortunately found them nearer than they had +expected. + +Chase was immediately made after the blacks, who were overtaken and +severely punished for their unprovoked attack on Castle Hill Farm. +Several were made prisoners, and the captain begged not only that their +lives might be spared, but treated them so kindly that when set at +liberty they expressed their regret at having attempted to injure so +good a man, and promised that they and their tribe would henceforth be +friends with the whites. Some of them indeed came back, and, under Mr +Hayward's instruction, became so far civilised as to make themselves +very useful, and two or three of their number imbibed the truths of +Christianity. + +Hector, greatly to his delight, obtained a commission as an officer in +the police force; but he was very glad, after the experience of a year, +to return to the farm, where, wonderful to relate, he ultimately became +very useful. Captain Berrington and his family worked steadily on, and +were rewarded for their industry by the success of most of their +undertakings. They, of course, experienced the vicissitudes of settlers +in general; but, though they occasionally lost many of their cattle and +sheep, their flocks and herds increased, and were soon scattered far and +wide over the surrounding country. + +Putting their trust in God, and applying themselves diligently to the +task they had undertaken, they were, on the whole, as successful as they +could desire, and their cousins from England had every reason to be +thankful that they had come out from the old country to become settlers +in Australia. + +THE END. + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Young Berringtons, by W.H.G. 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