Tom Gerrard
nt down over his horse's shoulder, and looked inquiringly into the fa
came out for a walk, a
e do you
hild pointed with a strong, sun-browned h
t t
oast them in the stockman's kitc
who i
us; I'm Ma
y wh
bus,
e. Then taking his pipe out of his pocket, he filled and lit it, and mot
me, my dear?" and he took
zabeth W
, did you ever hear he
, wonderingly, "he's a cattle
ary. I'm the Uncle Tom, and
hy! Uncle Westonley says it's
ir caressingly; "quite two thousand miles," and then as he looked at her
ly my uncle T
and you are my niece Mary. Your mothe
stonley l
dly grey eyes smiled as he stroked
's T
of course. Don't you
'Uncle Westonley.' Aunt Elizabeth said I must never say 'Uncle Ted,' as it
er face. In her dreamy, violet-hued eyes, with the dark pencilled brows, a
a cold-hearted prig, and always will be to the end of her days-even in her moribund moments. How could she let this child wander o
miles,
.' Who taught y
Eliz
e. I'm your uncle. And you must
ists on my saying '
ist on your calling me 'sir.' You see I shouldn't like it I want you to call me 'Uncle Tom.' Lo
says you're go
u see. 'Godless and wild' doesn't mean anything very bad when Aunt Elizabeth says
s,
le T
Uncl
ll you let me come with you? I'm awfully
ace lighted up, "oh! I wish Jim was
y. His sister Elizabeth had no child
I am. When did he
t him from Sydney about
is he
beth. He's been fractious
g pun
cked up in th
did
indle bull calf, and tr
d i
Jim had his forehead cut,
down his pipe, "And what
" said the child gravely, and as sh
er mind, Mary; now you and I s
fted off the saddle with its valise, hobbled the horse, and t
you get pippies. Then we will come back and cook them, and have some tea and some damper as well, for
and your gun, too
Jim must be a man
that, Un
ng for the pippies. You show me how you g
low, and the "pippies" (cockles) were easily had, for they protruded their suckers out upon every few inches of the sand. Gerrard, booted and spurred as he was, went into the water, dug into the sand with his hands, a
not going to Marumbah to-night, and you must stay
Aunt Elizabeth
won't. I will explain everyt
the child was attending to the roasting of the pippies, he was boiling a billy of t
ies and wild duck, and tea and damper, and after that is over you shall be tucked up
Elizab
othing to say about it. I'll settle with her. Now, s
m, let me go home
won't say a word to you." He smiled somewhat grimly to himself, "don't be afraid of that. You
room, just off
d J
im to sleep in the house, so he sl
d is he
Tom. He is really and truly such a good boy-Uncle Westonley says so, but Aunt Eli
fire; "you see, your Aunt Elizabeth doesn't mean to be unkind to you-it's only her way of saying that you and Jim are troublesome at times.
hen Gerrard spreading out his blankets under the shelter of a spreading wild honeys
, dear," he said softly, "but you needn'
ong, and denotes laziness, Aunt Elizabeth
he stars. And I daresay it does 'denote laziness,' as Aunt Elizabeth says. But at the same time I think it
om! Are you
re as ducks are ducks-especial
ay my prayer
owned hands together and said th
say the
ext
he Catechism. Aunt Eliza
it, did she? Yes, by all
er eyes again, and
"'I will try hard to hasten my rebellious spirit,-no not hasten, but chasten-I always say that wrong, Uncle Tom-to reverently submit myself to all my governors, teachers, spiritual pastors and masters: to regulate my
ned with the
bit too long a prayer for very little girls.
be nice! Sometimes Uncle West
is Bu
the Lord's Prayer, and the extrack, he lets me pray for Bunny because he is full of ticks, and Jim says hell die. I say 'dear God, don't let Bu
little woman. I think
thing but the very youngest, weeniest gum leaves, and Aunt Elizabeth
and kissed her. "I'll try and cure Bunny for you. I know a heap of
s face,* "Oh! Uncle Tom, you are as
laid himself down upon the sandy ground bes
n with little Mary held in front of him. Mrs Westonley, pale
ging her home! I sent out Toby, the black boy, to look for h
dismounted and kissed his sister, "Toby did find her-that is, he found her and me
was about to deliver a lecture, when her brothe
if you bully that unfortunate youngster, I'll just get into my sadd
flushed deeply. "I never expected suc
e stern reply; "I found her five miles from here, wandering alone. Have you no love or sympathy in
nds together in mingled anger and fear that this brother-fift
is a grea
r, the poor little mite. But I
s! Never! Wha
the house, and patted he
ut some unfortunate child committed to her care, as an 'incubus.' Now, that's all I have to say. I love the kid alr
awake or dreaming. Who but this handsome, sunburnt brother would da