Part 5 (1/2)
As ere riding along, after we had got free of the bush, a huge bull alloped after hi hi to try and toss me, turned him back into the herd
”Well done, Maurice,” exclaimed Hector, ”you'll make a first-rate stockman, but you must practise with your whip before you can become as expert as is necessary”
We visited, in the course of a day or two, other camps in which the wild cattle were collected in the same fashi+on; when, led by the coaches, the whole were driven into the yards, as they are called, situated at the head station Here they were allowed to re and branding commenced The yard was so divided that the cattle required for the various purposes were driven into different cohtered into another, and those to be turned loose again, into a third, while the stock stations attended to clai Mr Strong's
A calf having been lassoed, it was hauled up and its head held down by a plank, when a hot brand was handed to a ainst the creature's skin, where an indelible mark was left, when the little belloas allowed to rise and make its escape into another pen
Guy and I were not offorward, and lent a hand whenever we could
”Now,to us the next day; ”I see the stuff you are made of You'll do, and if you like to reht to know, you are welcome; after that you can decide what course you will follow”
We had been some days at the station when a person arrived who had occasionally been spoken of as Mr Kier sons as he did also to another faraduate of one of our leading universities, and had been found by Mr Strong in the hu station, a situation he was co expended the whole of his means His present occupation was h his salary was, I suspect, not very considerable He was evidently not cut out for an Australian settler, for though he could e to stick on horseback, as Hector observed, ”he preferred a walk to a gallop;” while he persisted in wearing a stove-pipe hat and a s-tail coat, which he evidently considered a enerally worn by all ranks in the bush He was a from the simplicity of his re was really glad to retain hi a visit from Bracewell, as Guy had written to hi with our relative, who did not appear to have any idea of leaving his station, but he had received no answer
Mr Kiave two days of the week to the family of a Captain Mason, ned the station next to Mr Strong's His plan was to ride over early in theof the next
After we had become tolerably intimate he invitedtwo of the younger boys As I wished to become acquainted with Captain Mason, and to see his station, I readily accepted his invitation I found a fa, and quite as nuirls and boys tall and lithe, but as active as crickets The girls told me to tell my cousins that they would ride over soers had been captured
We started somewhat later than usual from Captain Mason's, but the ”Dominie,” as the boys called him, had frequently traversed the road, and assured me that he knew it perfectly We pushed on, however, as fast as we could go, wishi+ng to get in before dark, as my companion confided to me the fact that he felt not a little nervous about the bushrangers, of whose atrocious deeds the young Masons had been telling him--the murders they had committed, the huts they had attacked, and the number of people they had stuck up I could not disprove the stateerated, and I described to him the e had driven the fellows off by the exhibition of firht,” he observed; ”but suppose the villains were to pop up from behind the bushes on the other side of the road, and order us to stand and deliver, and to threaten to shoot us if we attempted to draw our pistols,--and by the bye I haven't any to drahat should we do?”
”Put spurs to our horses and gallop out of their way,” I answered
”They wouldn't dare to fire, and if they did, the chances are they would er in this country, and the risk is not nearly so great as riding after wild cattle as we have still to do, so pray do not make yourself unhappy on the subject”
Still, I saw that an to grow dusk, immediately after which darkness came on, and ere co a knock on our heads fros
Eager as the do a first-rate horse through a thickish part of the forest, when, reining in his steed, he whispered to me in a tremulous voice--”Pull up, pray do, I hear the traers, they ht shoot us down before we had time to escape”
I reined in my steed to listen for the sounds which his sensitive ear had detected ”Theya sca
”Oh, no; they don't move about after dark,” he said; ”they must be mounted horses, do let us remain quiet until we ascertain who the people are”
”They are very likely so out to meet us,”
I reht sight of two horselade soht forfellow in a rough garb, the other was slighter, and both were armed Presently afterwards two others ca on the barrels of their rifles, showing that they also were armed I fully expected that they would discover us, and I intended if they did so boldly to ride up and enquire where they were going They galloped on, however, without perceiving us As I alone had arms I felt that it would be folly to interfere with theain no possible advantage I therefore remained perfectly quiet, and in anotherin the direction of Captain Mason's station They would be, however, mistaken, I hoped, if they expected to surprise our friends; who had assured ht and day, and ell prepared for such gentry
As soon as they were out of hearing, we rode on; the do far from happy, as every now and then he turned his head over his shoulder to assure himself that ere not followed
The h in the sky, afforded us aht to see our way As the country becao
We were to have another adventure While still so of a cow reached our ears The ani towards it, we found on getting up that she was endeavouring to protect her calf frooes Now she would run at one with her sharp horns, now at another, but the one in one direction the brutes would assail her helpless young one They were not even deterred by our approach