Page 68 - An Australian Lassie

"Wait till you see the house I mean to have," quoth John.

But Betty preferred to peep in then. She went close to the half-open gate and popped in her head.

Tnside the gate was a garden, and all its beds were defined by upended stout bottles--weedless, sweet-scented
beds wherein grew such blooms as daisies, and violets, stocks, sweetpeas, sweet williams, lad's love and
mignonette.

"Oh!" said Betty. "Oh--just smell! just put your head in for a minute, John."

But John was for "pushing on," and getting to Sydney to make his shilling two.

While they were parleying, a man came round the corner of the "sweet little house," and his eyes fell on the
bonneted maiden.

"Hullo!" he exclaimed, "and who's this? Polly?"

"No," said Betty.

"Na-o. Then p'raps it's Lucy. Eh?"

John tugged at Betty's dress and said "Come on," urgingly; but the man was already letting down two
slip-rails a little way from the crazy gate, and his eyes rested on the second barefooted imp.

"Hullo!" he exclaimed, "An' how's this any'ow?"

John, who had a greater dread of capture than Betty, inquired innocently if there were any wild flowers up this
way.

The man drew his hand across his eyes to banish sleep inclinations. "Not many now, T reckon," he said.
"There might be a few sprigs of 'eath an' the flannel flowers ain't all done yet. Goin' to town?"

Betty nodded, and John said,--

"Yes--we'll be gettin' back 'ome" in a fair imitation of his questioner's voice.

"T'll be goin' as far as the markets," said the man "an' T don't mind givin' you a lift ef you like."

John's eyes brightened, for he was longing for the centre of the city, and he had felt they were covering
ground very slowly. And Betty's brightened because she thought she would soon coax the man into letting her
drive.

So the fortune seekers made their entry into town in a fruit cart.