Part 39 (1/2)

But being in Brisbane, Bob thought he must import something else, which showed what a mindful father he was.

He had a look round, and a glance in at all the shop windows in Queen Street, finally he entered an emporium that took his fancy.

”Ahem!” said Bob. ”I want a few toys.”

”Yes, sir. About what age, sir?”

”The newest and best you have.”

”I didn't refer to the age of the toys,” said the urbane shopkeeper, with the ghost of a smile in his eye. ”I should have said, Toys suitable for what age?”

”For every age,” replied Bob boldly.

The shopkeeper then took the liberty of remarking that his visitor must surely be blessed with a quiverful.

”I've only the one little girl,” said Bob. ”She fills the book as yet.

But, you see, we're far away in the Bush, and baby will grow out of gum-rings and rattles, won't she, into dolls and dung-carts? D'ye see?

D'ye understand?”

”Perfectly.”

It ended in Bob importing not only the parson in a dray, but a box of toys as big as a sea-chest, and only Bob himself could have told you all that was in it. That box would have stocked a toyshop itself and Harry and Archie had the grandest of fun unpacking it, and both laughed till they had to elevate their arms in the air to get the st.i.tches out of their sides.

The amusing part of it was that innocent Bob had bought such a lot of each species.

A brown paper parcel, for example, was marked ”1 gross: gum-rings.”

”That was a job lot,” said Bob, explaining. ”I got them at a reduction, as the fellow said. Besides, if she has one in each hand, and another in her mouth, it will keep her out of mischief for a month or two to begin with.”

There was no mistake about it, baby was set up; for a time, at all events.

Not only did visitors--rough and smooth, but mostly rough--come from afar, but letters of congratulation also. Winslow said in a letter that Etheldene was dying to come and see ”the vision,” and so was he, though not quite so bad. ”Only,” he added, ”as soon Eth is finished we'll both run up. Eth is going to Melbourne to be finished, and I think a year will do the job.”

”Whatever does he mean,” said stalwart Bob, ”by finis.h.i.+ng Eth, and doing the job?”

”Why, you great big brush turkey,” said Sarah, ”he means finis.h.i.+ng her edication, in coorse!”

”Oh, I see now!” said Bob. ”To be sure; quite right. I say, Sarah, we'll have to send 'the vision' to a slap-up lady's school one of these days, won't us?”

”Bob,” replied Sarah severely, ”tell that lazy black chap, Jumper, to dig some potatoes.”

”I'm off, Sarah! I'm off!”

Both Harry and Archie had by this time become perfect in all a squatter's art.

Both had grown hard and hardy, and I am not sure that Harry was not now quite as bold a rider as Archie himself, albeit he was a c.o.c.kney born, albeit he had had to rub himself after that first ride of his on Scallowa, the ”Eider Duck.”

Well, then, both he and Archie were perfectly _au fait_ at cattle work in all its branches, and only those who have lived _on_ and had some interest _in_ farming have an idea what a vast amount of practical work breeding cattle includes. One has really to be Jack-of-all-trades, and a veterinary surgeon into the bargain. Moreover, if he be master, and not merely foreman, there are books to be kept; so he must be a good accountant, and a good caterer, and always have his weather eye lifting, and keeping a long lookout for probable changes in the markets.

But things had prospered well at Burley New Station. One chief reason of this was that the seasons had been good, and that there was every prospect that the colony of Queensland was to be one of the most respected and favourite in the little island.