Page 23 - An Australian Lassie

Brown go hang."

"Eh? What does the boy say? What do you say John to changing your name and letting the Brown go hang?"

To Mr. Brown's surprise and consternation, the boy gave an emphatic "No."

"Ah!" said old Mr. Carew, "and how's that? Speak up, John."

"The boys 'ud forget me," said John anxiously, "and T'd have to begin all over agen."

"What with?--Leave him alone, Brown."

"Thrashing 'em. They know me everywhere about Warrena. T can make 'em all sit up. T don't want to change
my name."

A sparkle came into the old man's eyes.

"Well said, my lad," he snapped. "T'd not have given a rap for you if you'd have cast your name away as easily
as a pinching pair o' boots. Stick to your own name, John, and you'll look all the better after mine."

He waited a bit, eyeing the boy up and down keenly. The thin brown face, with its square determined mouth,
quiet grey eyes and high forehead; the sturdy figure, countrified clothes, copper-toed boots, all passed under
his scrutiny.

"So you're of the fighting kind?" he asked at last.

"Yes," said John proudly.

"Ah! You never were, you remember, Brown. Things might have been different if you had been."

He waited again. Then he smiled queerly.

"John," he said, "your father's going away again to-night. You're my grandson. Tt may not seem a great matter
to you now--but it is, all the same. You stay here. You and T have to take life together, boy--though you're at
one end of the ladder and T'm at t'other. Your name's your name right enough, but T want you to be good
enough to tack mine on to it, and to do a bit of fighting for mine too if necessary. T've fought for it hard in my
day too. And now, John Carew-Brown, we'll have a bit of lunch if it's all the same to you."