Part 19 (1/2)
At the last word the boy sat up and gazed idiotically.
”Hallo! Betty--my dear Nugget--is that you? Why, where am I?”
”Your body is here,” said Betty, laughing. ”When your mind comes to the same place I'll talk to you.”
”I'm _all_ here now, Betty; so go ahead,” said the boy, with a hearty yawn as he arose and stretched himself. ”Oh! I remember now all about it. Where is your father?”
”I will tell you presently, but first let me know what you mean by calling me Nugget.”
”Why, don't you know? It's the name the men give you everywhere--one of the names at least--the Beautiful Nugget.”
”Indeed!” exclaimed the Nugget with a laugh and blush; ”very impudent of the men; and, pray, if this is one of the names, what may the others be?”
”There's only one other that I know of--the Rose of Oregon. But come, it's not fair of you to screw my secrets out o' me when I'm only half awake; and you haven't yet told me where Paul Bevan is.”
”I'll tell you that when I see you busy with this pork pie,” returned the Rose. ”I made it myself, so you ought to find it good. Be quick, for I have work for you to do, and there is no time to lose. Content yourself with a cold breakfast for once.”
”Humph! as if I hadn't contented myself with a cold breakfast at any time. Well, it _is_ a good pie. Now--about Paul?”
”He has gone away with Mr Westly and Flinders to search for Mr Brixton.”
”What! without _me_?” exclaimed Tolly, overturning his chair as he started up and pushed his plate from him.
”Yes, without you, Tolly; I advised him not to awake you.”
”It's the unkindest thing you've ever done to me,” returned the boy, scarcely able to restrain his tears at the disappointment. ”How can they know where to search for him without me to guide them? Why didn't you let them waken me!”
”You forget, Tolly, that my father knows every inch of these woods and plains for at least fifty miles round the old house they have blown up; and, as to waking you, it would have been next to impossible to have done so, you were so tired, and you would have been quite unable to keep your eyes open. Besides, I had a little plan of my own which I want you to help me to carry out. Go on with your breakfast and I'll explain.”
The boy sat down to his meal again without speaking, but with a look of much curiosity on his expressive face.
”You know, without my telling you,” continued Betty, ”that I, like my father, have a considerable knowledge of this part of the country, and of the ways of Indians and miners, and from what you have told me, coupled with what father has said, I think it likely that the Indians have carried poor T---Mr Brixton, I mean--through the Long Gap rather than by the plains--”
”So _I_ would have said, had they consulted _me_,” interrupted the boy, with an offended air.
”Well, but,” continued Betty, ”they would neither have consulted you nor me, for father has a very decided will, you know, and a belief in his own judgment--which is quite right of course, only I cannot help differing from him on this occasion--”
”No more can I,” growled Tolly, thrusting his fork into the pie at a tempting piece of pork.
”So, you see, I'm going to take the big horse you brought here and ride round by the Long Gap to see if I'm right, and I want you to go with me on the pony and take care of me.”
Tolly Trevor felt his heart swell with gratification at the idea of his being the chosen protector of the Rose of Oregon--the Beautiful Nugget; selected by herself, too. Nevertheless his good sense partially subdued his vanity on the point.
”But, I say,” he remarked, looking up with a half-serious expression, ”d'you think that you and I are a sufficient party to make a good fight if we are attacked by Redskins? You know your father will hold me responsible, for carrying you off into the midst of danger in this fas.h.i.+on.”
”I don't mean to fight at all,” returned Betty, with a pleasant laugh, ”and I will free you from all responsibility; so, have done, now, and come along.”
”It's _so_ good,” said Tolly, looking as though he were loath to quit the pork pie; ”but, come, I'm your man! Only don't you think it would be as well to get up a good fighting party among the young miners to go with us? They'd only be too happy to take service under the Beautiful Nugget, you know.”
”Tolly,” exclaimed the Nugget, with more than her wonted firmness, ”if you are to take service under _me_ you must learn to obey without question. Now, go and saddle the horses. The big one for me, the pony for yourself. Put the saddle-bags on the horse, and be quick.”
There was a tone and manner about the usually quiet and gentle girl which surprised and quite overawed little Trevor, so that he was reduced at once to an obedient and willing slave. Indeed he was rather glad than otherwise that Betty had declined to listen to his suggestion about the army of young diggers--which an honest doubt as to his own capacity to fight and conquer all who might chance to come in his way had induced him to make--while he was by no means unwilling to undertake, singlehanded, any duties his fair conductor should require of him.