operation.Nevertheless the agility displayed by the stockmen and their excessivecoolness is marvellous to behold.
Most of those cattle were branded with a "B.H.," which stood for Bob andHarry; but some were marked with the letters "A.B.," for ArchibaldBroadbent, and--I need not hide the truth--Archie was a proud young manwhen he saw these marks. He realised now fully that he had commencedlife in earnest, and was a squatter, not only in name, but in reality.
The fencing work and improvements still went gaily on, the ground beingdivided into immense paddocks, many of which our young farmers trustedto see ere long covered with waving grain.
The new herds soon got used to the country, and settled down on it,dividing themselves quietly into herds of their own making, that werefound browsing together mornings and evenings in the best pastures, orgathered in mobs during the fierce heat of the middle-day.
Archie quickly enough acquired the craft of a cunning and bold stockman,and never seemed happier than when riding neck and neck with somerunaway semi-wild bull, or riding in the midst of a mob, selecting thebeast that was wanted. And at a job like the latter Tell and heappeared to be only one individual betwixt the two of them, like thefabled Centaur. He came to grief though once, while engaged heading abull in as ugly a bit of country as any stockman ever rode over. Ithappened. Next chapter, please.
CHAPTER TWENTY ONE.
A WILD ADVENTURE--ARCHIE'S PRIDE RECEIVES A FALL.
It happened--I was going to say at the end of the other page--that in afew weeks' time Mr Winslow paid his promised visit to Burley New Farm,as the three friends called it.
Great preparations had been made beforehand because Etheldene was comingwith her father, and was accompanied by a black maid. Both Etheldeneand her maid had been accommodated with a dray, and when Sarah, with hercheeks like ripe cherries, and her eyes like sloes, showed the younglady to her bedroom, Etheldene was pleased to express her delight in nomeasured terms. She had not expected anything like this. Realmattresses, with real curtains, a real sofa, and real lace round thelooking-glass.
"It is almost too good for Bush-life," said Etheldene; "but I am sopleased, Mrs Cooper; and everything is as clean and tidy as my ownrooms in Sydney. Father, do come and see all this, and thank MrsCooper prettily."
Somewhat to Archie's astonishment a horse was led round next morning forEtheldene, and she appeared in a pretty dark habit, and was helped intothe saddle, and gathered up the reins, and looked as calm andself-possessed as a princess could have done.
It was Gentleman Craig who was the groom, and a gallant one he made.For the life of him Archie could not help envying the man for hisexcessive coolness, and would have given half of his cattle--those withthe bold "A.B.'s" on them--to have been only half as handsome.
Never mind. Archie is soon mounted, and cantering away by the younglady's side, and feeling so buoyant and happy all over that he would nothave exchanged places with a king on a throne.
"Oh, yes," said Etheldene, laughing, as she replied to a question ofArchie's, "I know nearly everything about cattle, and sheep too! But,"she added, "I'm sure you are clever among them already."
Archie felt the blood mount to his forehead; but he took off his broadhat and bowed for the compliment, almost as prettily as Gentleman Craigcould have done himself.
Now, there is such a thing as being too clever, and it was trying to beclever that led poor Archie to grief that day.
The young man was both proud and pleased to have an opportunity ofshowing Etheldene round the settlement, all the more so that there wasto be a muster of the herds that day, and neighbour-squatters had comeon horseback to assist. This was a kind of a love-darg which was verycommon in Queensland a few years ago, and probably is to this day.
Archie pointed laughingly towards the stock whip Etheldene carried. Henever for a moment imagined it was in the girl's power to use or managesuch an instrument.
"That is a pretty toy, Miss Winslow," he said.
"Toy, do you call it, sir?" said this young Diana, pouting prettily."It is only a lady's whip, for the thong is but ten feet long. Butlisten."
It flew from her hands as she spoke, and the sound made every animalwithin hearing raise head and sniff the air.
"Well," said Archie, "I hope you won't run into any danger."
"Oh," she exclaimed, "danger is fun!" And she laughed right merrily,and looked as full of life and beauty as a bird in spring time.
Etheldene was tall and well-developed for her age, for girls in thisstrange land very soon grow out of their childhood.
Archie had called her Diana in his own mind, and before the day was overshe certainly had given proof that she well merited the title.
New herds had arrived, and had for one purpose or another to be headedinto the stock yards. This is a task of no little difficulty, andto-day being warm these cattle appeared unusually fidgety. Twos andthrees frequently stampeded from the mob, and went determinedly dashingback towards the creek and forest, so there was plenty of opportunitiesfor anyone to show off his horsemanship. Once during a chase like thisArchie was surprised to see Etheldene riding neck and neck for a timewith a furious bull. He trembled for her safety as he dashed onwards toher assistance. But crack, crack, crack went the brave girl's whip; shepunished the runaway most unmercifully, and had succeeded in turning himere her Northumbrian cavalier rode up. A moment more and the bull wastearing back towards the herd he had left, a stockman or two followingclose behind.
"I was frightened for you," said Archie.
"Pray, don't be so, Mr Broadbent. I don't want to think myself achild, and I should not like you to think me one. Mind, I've been inthe Bush all my life."
But there was more and greater occasion to be frightened for Etheldeneere the day was done. In fact, she ran so madly into danger, that thewonder is she escaped. She had a gallant, soft-mouthed horse--that wasone thing to her advantage--and the girl had a gentle hand.
But Archie drew rein himself, and held his breath with fear, to see amaddened animal, that she was pressing hard, turn wildly round andcharge back on horse and rider with all the fury imaginable. A turn ofthe wrist of the bridle hand, one slight jerk of the fingers, andEtheldene's horse had turned on a pivot, we might almost say, and thedanger was over.
So on the whole, instead of Archie having had a very grand opportunityfor showing off his powers before this young Diana, it was rather theother way.
The hunt ended satisfactory to both parties; and while Sarah was gettingan extra good dinner ready, Archie proposed a canter "to give them anappetite."
"Have you got an appetite, Mr Broadbent? I have."
It was evident Etheldene was not too fine a lady to deny the possessionof good health.
"Yes," said Archie; "to tell you the plain truth, I'm as hungry as ahunter. But it'll do the nags good to stretch their legs after so muchwheeling and swivelling."
So away they rode again, side by side, taking the blazed path towardsthe plains.
"You are sure you can find your way back, I suppose?" said Etheldene.
"I think so."
"It would be good fun to be lost."
"Would you really like to be?"
"Oh, we would not be altogether, you know! We would find our way tosome hut and eat damper, or to some grand hotel, I suppose, in the Bush,and father and Craig would soon find us."
"Father and you have known Craig long?"
"Yes, many, many years. Poor fellow, it is quite a pity for him.Father says he was very clever at college, and is a Master of Arts ofCambridge."
"Well, he has taken his hogs to a nice market."
"But father would do a deal for him if he could trust him. He has toldfather over and over again that plenty of people would trust him if hecould only trust himself."
"Poor man! So nice-looking too! They may well call him GentlemanCraig."
"But is it not time we were returning?"
"Look! look!" she cried, before Archie could answer. "Yonder is abull
-fight. Whom does the little herd belong to?"
"Not to us. We are far beyond even our pastures. We have cut away fromthem. This is a kind of no-man's land, where we go shooting at times;and I daresay they are trespassers or wild cattle. Pity they cannot betamed."
"They are of no use to anyone, I have heard father say, except to shoot.If they be introduced into a herd of stock cattle, they teach all theothers mischief. But see how they fight! Is it not awful?"
"Yes. Had we not better return? I do not think your father would likeyou to witness such sights as that."
The girl laughed lightly.
"Oh," she cried, "you don't half know father yet! He trusts meeverywhere. He is very, very good, though not so refined as some