The Happy Adventurers

herers or Who

airs next morning she found Grannie installed in the drawing-room, instead of in

ned frame. "My dear husband used this when he had gout," she continued, tucking a warm shawl round Mollie's bandages and large bedroom slipper. "It was made in the village under his own directions, and is

ad as she looked admir

hated a sofa and would

ve, but he was stout, a

ing up than lyin

to cough or to laugh, which, of

erhaps we should close the window. Your Aunt Mary has a perfect craze f

and I love the open window; it is so warm to-day. It was only a tickle; I ge

miled at each other

that we were not at a loss when we went to Paris later on. Our dancing was much more graceful than the foolish gambols with their ridiculous titles which you young people call dancing nowadays. Fox-trot, indeed! And bunny-hug. A

believe I could do it now, this moment. I have

insult to her beloved fox-trot in her a

the room. She shook her somewhat ample black silk skirt into place, tilted her chin to a

ess of Wales," she said, looking so elegant and distinguished that Mollie suddenly felt rather small and shy,

down, down she swept, her skirt billowing out around her, her shoulders square, her head erect-down till she all but touched the floor, and how she kept her balance was a perf

taught to curtsy! There's nothing resembling a fox about that!" she

t it does require the right kind of skirt, Grannie.

y exercises before we got the length of our court curtsy. Do you remember Ellen Bathurst, Daisy?" (How funny it soun

ce dead and gone, whose names Mollie had never heard. It was a little depressing, and her thoughts wandered away to the Campbells. She w

and I are going to play duets. We used to play a great deal together when we were young, and no doubt our mus

beautiful music, and I like tunes myself. Jean is the musical one of our family. She jiggle

re going to play selections from Faust, with va

ike it," she murmured to herself rather sleepily-the morning's conversation had not been exciting on her side. "I am glad I

nswer; she was lis

Faust. I adore Faust. Don't you? The

any things I don't know. Hurry up, Prue. I have had

e, one-" said Prue, takin

*

apparently all asleep. Mollie was too lazy to turn her head, but she could see that they were in a wood. The trees were the eternal gum trees, with their monotonous grey trunks and perpetual blue-green foliage. They were not growing in the neighbourly manner of trees in an

said a voice behind he

rning, and I've discove

it might turn out to be

ng down; don't you

met was on his head, draped with a striped pugaree with broad ends hanging down his back, and further decorated with vine leaves, which loo

heir legs spread out like dried fruit. They'll never discover a new grape

which wound between the trees of the wood they were in. As she watched, the carts came into view round a bend of the track, and soon they were passing before her. A team of six oxen drew each heavy load-such a load as Mollie had never seen in her life.

pungent eucalyptus, and the spilled juice of grapes mixing with the hot dust of the track added a peculiar aroma of its own to the general nosegay, as Dick described it. Mollie thought that she could never remember smelling any

ed Dick, now wideawake and

wine. Some go sour and black and you call it claret, and some go sharp and yellow and you call it Frontignac or any other silly yellow name. What I should like to invent would be

s very minute," said Grizzel, tying on her sun-b

of things about the vineyards. Mr. von Greusen was too busy to go round with him, so he sent me. He

e lau

t?" asked Hugh, looking

ollie declared; "it's only a sor

French name," said Jerry. "W

s were trained in Champagne and Burgundy and Languedoc-all very Frenchy. Mr. von Greusen never talks like that. He was interested in my new grape, but he's

ou sixpence he isn't Fr

u might as well call yo

Li C

an call ourselves what we please. This is the Land of Liberty. B

ornfully. "That's noth

full of Fr

"There is nothing to sfaw about. Lots of Chinese people come

Jerry r

" said

began, but Di

dictionary a few days ago and it is pronounced shaw; it's a silly sort of word anyhow. No

injured by the lack of interest in his new gr

his grape behind him," sang Grizzel, as they se

as he watched the little party straggling down the ro

felt as if the sun were hitting her on the back between her shoulders, and her feet kept stumbling over the deep ruts in the road. "A Guide's motto is never say die till you are dead," she thought to herself. "There are times when I wish I were not a Guide, and this is one of them. 'Be Loyal.' Oh-bother Baden-Powell!" She held up three fingers to remind herself of the Guide Law, and tried her best to smile. "How do the others get on without it?" she wonder

she suggested. "She looks about done. We can d

aid both bo

. "Jerry and I have carried heavier loads

id Jerry, w

an, and they were rattled and bumped like dried peas in a basket. Mollie thought the road would never end, and began to wonder at what stage of thirst delirium came on. But the longest lane has a turning, and at last they came in sight of a white house standing in the middle of an untidy sort of garden. The usual balcony ran round it, but this time it was approach

er Mollie's parched tongue, irrigated her dried-up throat, washed away the dust she

e others revive under the same treatment. "I never knew before

. "I'd like to have a throat a yard long and just sit he

ad departed, and he reflected that his slighting remarks were probably the cause of Hugh's absence from this r

y. Anyhow, he likes to practise enduring things; he says it is a useful habit. The worst of it is he thinks everyone else should end

bout vintages and vines, the prospects of the wine industry, the possibilities of olive culture, and other subjects interesting to Australia

vineyard, as the heart of a man must be if he wishes to make his wine world-famous. In your

art of Mr. John Smith is?" Papa ask

himself to Australia and whose feet tread the vineyard while his eyes look far away, so that he repe

t dem roth

glein sss

than one young man come to Australia to cure t

Smith should squat,"

choked, and brought a look of disapp

. Mr. von Greusen wis

n the drawing-ro

and thence to the balcony to enjoy the cool breeze which had sprung up. "I wanted to

Mollie answered. "I couldn't help laughing. Squatting sou

n tell you. There's nothing to laugh at in being a squatter. They're as rich as What's-his-name. Some of them are millionaires. I wish Papa was a squatter-but he would be

" said Grizzel. "It isn't the girl who is tum

upted, feeling that another squabble was in the ai

and they told Papa to come here for the holidays, if he liked. Mr. von Greusen looks after the farm for them.

esitatingly; it felt a little queer to be such friends with

Jolly nice, and jolly cl

eigner, and sometimes foreig

body is different from everybody else. Anyhow,

if you go to w

ill be. Of course-if we wanted to we could. We'd be first-class fighters if we weren't so peaceful. In fact," Hugh continued, in a somewhat dreamy tone, "I have invented, or at least thought about, several rather

into the future. Time-travelling was certainly best done backwards. And yet-who would want to

shining in the sky to remind us of the Beloved Son, like the rainbow, so that we should never forget. But I do. Nothing in the world seems t

mother in the Pimlico Road-a dark, foggy, raw day in late autumn. They had come upon a group of Australian soldiers standing round the door of a little green-grocer's shop, and chaffing the good-natured shop-woman about the quality of her fruit. Mother had stopped to speak to them. Mollie could not remember exactly what had passed, but the men had been friendly and communicative, and if they had groused about the English climate they had some cause, she

laying a hand on Jerry'

tly it shines! Their na

fugue of Bach's. The three older people joined the children i

ery good indeed. Next winter we shall study together some piano and violin duets. And now perhaps

together, which the audience in the balcony enjoyed without troubling to understand, Pru

g slowly backwards and forwards, obviously listening to the music. As he passed through the l

voice. "Shall I ask him to come up, Papa?

dially; "but go quietly, my son, or Mamma will be out

a tall figure in his wake, which he led to one of the long

good many inches of leg. He sat very still, his eyes fixed on the starry sky before him. There was, in his general outline in the semi-darkn

t fairyland which the musician summons up with a wave of his magic wand, especially perhaps for those who love music mostly with their hearts, but the teasing little imp

ught them back to earth. The music

evening too, for me. I must be getting home-hullo, Smith! Where did you come from? Am I to have the

e heard Mamma singing and was fascina

"and we will have a concert properly prepared for you. And you will give me all the news from home," she added,

s of thanks and a grateful promise to come again at the earl

ed, as they moved bedwards. "D

gh for Papa and Mamma," Hugh answered, with a yawn. "Wha

was a bushranger

interrupted, with another yawn. "I'm going to bed. We s

the gate of the vineyard Mr. von Greusen had given them permission to "browse" in, as he had expressed it. The English children had never seen a vineyard in their lives, and their expectations were inclined to be romantic and artistic. Large bunches of thin-skinned, bloomy purple grapes,

ches of grapes looked inviting enough, hanging among their decorative leaves and tendrils, but they had not been thinned and consequently were smaller than English hothouse grapes, while exposure to wind and

grows different lots for different wines, but here he has all sorts. We lik

d Jerry, squelching his way diligently through a bunch o

s a red worsted round his first-class experiments and then we kno

erdeilho, Shirez, and other strange-sounding names, they were more reverential towards his new gra

sound, you see," he sa

lo' sounds rath

ns lower down. The boys wanted to go exploring; the girls were to be left to collect peaches and melons for the new drink-which might bear the honoured name of Gordello until the fam

s had condescended to gather a share of the Gordello-destined grapes and carry them part of the way towards

shall pull six peaches and one water-melon exactly," she said. "I am tired

hothouse elegance lacking in the grapes. Large as apples, soft and downy as velvet, glowing with crimson and gold, they were a perfect revelation of w

ater-melon, and we'll go straight to the Dell and rest and eat peaches there. If you ate

ere an accomplished fact, she thought, it would be very delightful. If someone else had made it and she could find it "cooling in the spring", as the boys expected to do, it would be extraordinarily delicious, and the more she th

clivity, its sides clothed with ferns almost startlingly green amidst the dried-up grass which covered most of the country around. A silvery cascade of water fell down the rock at the far side, its fine spray blown by the wind over the littl

shady spot, untying their sun-bonnets and holding the

as she sniffed up the cool scent of the damp fe

u see, and there's a place up there where we can light our fire. Mamma sketches, and we bring our books or we hunt for wild flowers; it is always a nice place to be in. Now we c

"and gather some forget-me-nots to put beside that pink melon;

melon, and soon the other two were following h

her feet. "There is a

ing in for a surprise w

re might be a pencil t

fru

hing-block, and a box of chocolates. "You can have the books," she announced, "one is From Six to

s Verne, turning the pictures over with much interest a

large chocolate-cream with entire disregard of both past a

her drawing to the sti

ape of a water-mel

e lau

"How can you speak so disrespectfully of

zel answered indignantly. "I

laughed

e dearest, sweetest things, and all your thanks is to make Mollie laugh

aid; "I wouldn't dream of doing such a thin

pa for being partly the shape of a water-melon, I'll laugh at your father. Your fa

for that young person went off into fits of cackling giggles w

. I think I had better go away for a little till I am better. I really

Prue, still very red. "How would you l

giggling worse than ever. "You don't understand.

e of the ferny dell, crossed the track, and ran into the wood on the farthe

herself, as she slowed down to a walk and the giggle became le

h decayed bark mixed with dead leaves-quite clean enough, she decided, to sit upon and rest until her giggles had finally subsided. She crept

was oblivious of heat. She was walking in the submarine forest of the Island of Crespo, treading on sand "sown with the impalpable dust of shells", when the sudden cr

find something new to do. His one idea seems to be to pass

r than they had seemed to do; their tall grey-white trunks repeated themselves in a most bewildering w

nd and retracing her steps. "I remember now, there were so

But she came to a dried-up creek which she had not seen before. She could not hav

e Dell, that's one thin

ely call of an Australian parrot or magpie. All around her the monotonous grey trunks stood, as much alike as the pillars of a town-hall, and

n to realize was

rong way I will only get farther and farther from the Dell. The best plan really is to sit down and wait till someone comes. Someone is sure to look for me sooner or later; Dick and Jerry will, anyhow." She looked about her again in search of inspiration. Sitting down and waiting was not a cheerful prospect. Dick and Jerry might

few with boughs within her reach, and the few there were were too low to be of any use as observation posts. She sat down and resolutely opened her

t other people doing it, lifting her eyes from the page every now and then, and turnin

ling the air from Faust. Mollie sprang to her feet and coo-eed with all her might and main. The

e to me," the man shout

re by t

her Guide work, it was only after several shouts on the man's part and experiments on hers that she at last found

r badly, and was just wondering what to do next. There seemed to be nothin

you too," said M

iles or so to Silver Fields, von Greusen's place. I'll show you how to use a compass, and you will be my goo

place if you tell me where it is; but first I will bandage up your foot and make it feel easier. I have learnt First

First Aid is precisely, but it sounds appr

particular line. "How did you sprain your ankle? I suppose you-" she stopped short. She had almost said that she supp

"the floor of Australia seems to be perfora

atient's sock, "I coo-eed ever so often-oh, dear me! that is a bad foot

other for magpies. Next time I'll try a good English shout. Now, what's to happen? D'ye mean to say that I'm to be stuck up in Silver Fields f

gh. As they talked she had been skilfully bandaging the swollen ankle in her best style, which was a style not to be despised by anybody. "Now," she said, as she tucked in the end and fastened it firmly with her Tenderfoot brooch, "now you will be more comfortable.

It is nothing. A handkerchief twisted round w

attoo-mark, but the sight of it struck at Mollie for she had seen it before. The odd impression of last night, which she had forgotten in the vario

p and finding her eyes fixed questioningly

ike to know more than anything else at this present moment"). "I am staying there. It was dark on the balcony and there were a lot of us childr

was that smile so familiar? Was it the Prince of Wales? No, it was someone she knew mu

ia, and I should say that he has the other. But it isn't only their voices, it's the way they sing, making you think of all the might-have-beens and ought-to-have-beens and never-will-bes-

e. I will be as quick as I can. How shall I describe t

ave a sister called Polly. I was thinking of her at that moment," he added, with another sigh. "I h

ed to her that if she "went back" with her usual abruptness, before she de

ough when Guiding, an Australian forest was something quite new, and to her it seemed as trackless as the ocean, every part of it looked so precisely the same as every other part. Eventually, however, she found herself safely back on the cart-track, thoug

nd heard her st

was called, and between them all a room was got ready and made to look as homelike as possible. "Flowers and books," said Mrs. Campbell, "always make a room look pleasant. I wish I had some photographs. I wonder who his people are. We'll put up a picture of St. Paul's Cathedral, and this little water-

Mr. John Smith on the balcony. Mollie ran down the steps to meet them, and gave a highly coloured account of her adventures. Past differences were forgiven and forg

f you must run away for the present. Grizzel can go for a walk with Bridget and Baby; I want a few things from the Store, and they can be

ce suggested-for after all she and Grizzel had made the new dri

nce brought to one's very door-by a hero with a sprained ankle too! Such a romantic affliction! But Mollie was too much preoccupied by that haunting likeness to listen properly to what the hero was saying, once she had ascertained the fact that Mr. Smith belonged to the Campbell's Time, and that therefore she cou

angry parents, lack of money, eternal vows, and a young man in search of

France before coming here, but it was hopeless. They won't look at a foreigner in their wine concerns. As a matter of fact I have some hopes of my own governor relenting. I am his only son, and he is getting tired of keeping me at arm's length. There'

watch out of his pocket and sprung it o

argaret,"

avy hair rippling on either side of a smooth brow. Mollie glanced at it absent-mindedly; th

nd-my name is not really John Smith. I dropped my real name because I wanted to dodge my governor-teach him a lesson, you know, not

n, the tattooed anchor and rope on a lean wrist, and above all a pair of dark eyes (so like Dick's) crinkled up in a kindly smile: "

"I'm all right, Prue, but it's so funny. I know who you are," she laughed again, turning to Mr. Smith. "Your na

ollie!"

*

oard boxes from Buszard's. Grannie sat at the tea-table, and opposite her was old Mrs. Pell, who had put o

"It is only a fit of giggl

"Her nerves are a little highly strung; her grandfa