"You two ladies were the new chums!" said Reg, not quite sure if he heard aright.
"Yes. How did we look?"
"Splendid."
"Oh, you traitors, but we"ll forgive you," said Hil, ringing for refreshments.
The girls then told their adventures and were equally amused to find they had all been at cross-purposes the whole time. It took the boys some considerable time to get over their astonishment.
"We went for a man, and returned with a horse," said Hil.
"And we went for a man, and returned with a stick," added Hal.
"Which stick? Not the famous one with all the notches cut on it?" asked May.
"The very same. There are several fresh notches added, and one of them may refer to you."
"Oh, let us see it. Where is it?" said Hil, excitedly.
"I have it safe under lock and key," answered Reg.
"You can scratch out my notch," said May, "for though I had a narrow squeak, my heart is not quite broken, thanks to you two."
"For one thing, I am glad it occurred," answered Hal. "It has given us the pleasure of making your acquaintance."
"New chums, eh?"
"Now, that"s not fair. But did that old fellow really recognise us?"
"No, I don"t know that he did. Certainly we did not. I only said so because you were rather hard on us," answered Hil.
"What are you gentlemen going to do now?" asked May.
"We are going to have a holiday. I have done my duty, and my dear old friend here has sacrificed all his time for me. We propose staying in Sydney for a short while, and then taking another trip to Tasmania, as the people there were so nice," answered Reg.
"All Tasmanians are nice," put in May.
"Don"t fish, May," said Hil, chaffingly.
"Present company always excepted," said May, unwarily.
"Oh, that"s worse than ever," retorted Hil, and all joined in the laughter which followed.
"Now, if you gentlemen are doing nothing to-day, we shall be very glad of your company on our drive," said Hil.
"We shall be delighted," said both together.
"Then that"s settled. Now let us go to lunch. Quite impromptu, you know, billy and pannikins," she added, with a light laugh, as she led the way.
And a happy quartette they made, these four young people, sensible to the full of the enjoyments of life. Joke and anecdote were interchanged with good-humoured _camaraderie_ and, if Mrs. Grundy was not present, she ought to have been, only in the capacity of spectator, that she might but learn how possible it is for youth of both s.e.xes to meet together in wholesome social enjoyment without the watchful eye of a chaperon. After luncheon, the boys were invited to light their cigars, the girls apologising for not joining in, because they had given up male vices with male habiliments.
"You must come and see Wyck," said Hilda, taking them to the stables.
"And here is old Tom. I don"t know if you remember him at Dalby. I brought him to look after Wyck, because they seem to understand each other so well."
"How"s Wyck getting on, Tom?" she asked, as the old fellow came forward and saluted.
"Oh, he"s doing well, miss. I"ve had him entered for the Sydney Cup, and I doubt there won"t be many to beat him," said Tom, proudly, as he led the way to a loose box in which his favourite was kept.
"Well, Wyck, old boy," said Hil, and the horse, hearing her voice, turned round and put his head over the rail, and sniffed at her as if in search of something.
"Here you are," she said, giving him a piece of sugar, and rubbing his nose.
"We heard about your doings at Dalby; how you took the auctioneer and the farmer down," said Reg, "but we little guessed who the new chums were."
After wandering round the extensive stables, Hil called one of the grooms, and told him to put Fan and Tan in the dog-cart.
"They are a bit skittish, miss," said he, being a new hand.
"All the better," answered she. "Go and put them in."
A handsome dog-cart was wheeled out, and two beautiful dappled grey cobs harnessed to it, who by their prancing and restless antics looked like mischief. The wheeler was the more quiet of the two, but the leader seemed to prefer a more picturesque att.i.tude than that of standing quietly on four legs, and elevating himself on his hind-legs remained pawing the air like an heraldic beast. Twice did the groom pull her into line with the wheeler, but she preferred dancing round and gazing at the driver.
"I think she has had a fair look at us now," said Hil, quietly taking up the whip. "Straighten them again, please."
The opening of the gate was not a wide one, and the boys confessed they felt a trifle nervous in their seats. But they did not know their driver. With a sharp, "Now then, let go," she gave the leader a couple of smart smacks with the lash, and he dashed forward and they pa.s.sed through the gate at a hand-gallop, and were soon flying along the beautiful roads round Sydney.
The boys thoroughly enjoyed themselves. What more could heart desire than to be driven behind a pair of handsome horses, beside a pair of handsome girls!
"Will you ladies come to the theatre to-night?" asked Reg. "There is a new star just arrived from London."
"What do you say, May?"
"Delighted."
"Yes, we"ll go with pleasure," said Hil, and arriving at the "Metropole," where the boys had taken up their residence, the cart was pulled up, and they alighted.
"Shall we call for you?" asked Reg.
"No, we"ll call for you at 7.30. Good-bye."
Standing on the pavement, the boys gazed first after the cart disappearing round the corner, and then at each other. But words failed them, so they turned on their heel towards the hotel.
"By-the-bye, we had better call on old Goody. He might like to go," said Reg, and Hal being of the same opinion, they turned back to the "Grosvenor."
They found Mr. Goodchild in conversation with a young man, whom he introduced to them as Mr. Philamore.
"We are going to the theatre to-night, Mr. Goodchild, and we came to see if you would join us."
"Well, Philamore and I had agreed--"