Jean, Our Little Australian Cousin

she and Sandy soon grew to be great friends, and many were the thrilling bits of mischief into which he dragged he

uncle had won her heart. She grew to be his little shadow, driving and riding wit

an's horse, lassie," said her uncle

say that?"

them fat and slick, so that has grown to be a proverb, th

ean was growing as full

kins of London or Glasgow. There are many of them in Australia and they have formed a kind of secret society among the

dock, jumping a fence as if on wings. She loved to gallop when the air was filled with t

r horse half a head in advance of his. "We are so near to 'Mason's run,' I think we'

Uncle. Is it

your eyes open and learn all you can. Mason bree

and they cantered up to the homestead,

the white ants from climbing into the rooms. Several gins[7] came out to see who the strangers were, the first that Jean had see

locks,'" her uncle laughed. "The young gin wants to know if you

lden and floated all abo

y think you are a goddess. That gin wants to tou

n run her fingers over her shining tresses. The gin

ther won't care." He handed her his knife and she snipped off a s

d her uncle teasingly. "She will wear that as a charm

o me knows no

air veiling your

hand in your

he stroked th

as nice as sheep runs. There aren't

m the hills, some of the runs being as large as five thousand s

stance, how do the owners ever t

e young oxen are sent to the coast to be fattened for market, while the old cattle are sent to the rendering works, where they are made into tallow and beef extract. The stockman's

irrel, Uncle! I think they are the cunningest little things. Who do

ed behind the tree. There she saw a little bird perched on one leg which s

anie," said her uncle. "He's a

bit pretty

US, OR WATER MOLE,'

s and lizards and all kinds of things, and t

bird. It had a big flat bill like a duck and fur on its body like a rat, and it had webbed feet and a long bushy tail. Sandy said it was a beas

ia which does too, the spiny ant-eater. He looks like a hedgehog but has a queer, long bill with a long tongue covered with sticky stuff w

ars that have hard wooden rinds, cherries with the stones outside, trees with

ke monkeys," cried Sandy's teasing voice,

after her, though he did not catch up with her till she rode

great event. Shearers were coming in, some riding, some trudging along on foot, carrying their swags. There were huts for them to sleep in, and tents wer

om the pen, choosing the one that looks the easiest to shear, he throws it with his knee and rapidly guides the little knife-like cutters of the machine over the fleece, which falls from the animal in one huge piece. The sheep is then released to run, pink and shivering, to the yard again. The "picker up" catches up the fleece and takes it to the wool bin, while the shearer turns to t

ast, every man trying to see if he cannot be the "ringer," as they call the m

a hundred sheep in a day, while extra good ones have sheared three hundred in a day. As the shearers have

by the classer. He decides as to its quality and puts it in the proper bin. It is then baled, ma

, and then are returned to their paddocks. There is no more attractive sight in the world than an immense flock

little better. Everybody was busy. Aunt Mildred had no time to notice a little girl. Sandy was away, no one knew where, and, worst of all, her mother was laid low with one of h

learned to ride as well without a saddle as with, so

from the gum trees. Flying foxes flapped their wings and she came upon the playground of a satin-bower[8] bird, the first she had ever seen, although her uncle had told

a little nap. This looks just the place for a fairy ring a

his dainty ears and working his velvety nose as if something he did not like was near. Then his reins pulled loose from the bush and he wandered away to nibble

that he took her in his strong arms and carried her away, away, and she never wanted him to put her down. The scent of the wild blooms was in her nostrils, and she did not wake when two arms cautiously raised her from the ground and holding her lightly yet carefully, so tha

Me not bad Black.

er ride him," she cried, strugg

not get there soon," he said coaxingly, and not knowing what else to do Jean allowed him to pick her up and carry her again. He walked fast, but she did not see the river or the house and she began to grow frightened. It grew dark and the air was full of flying things, so

a little group of native huts, bark-thatched and dimly seen through the darkness. Into the smallest of

Jean was too frightened and tired to think of any of them, and she c

TNO

lack

ds its nest. It has a floor of sticks, and over this is built a li