Page 113 - A Little Bush Maid

"Couldn’t help it--slipped out. What a jolly sell not to see old Dad again!"
Jim wrinkled his brown handsome face into a frown.

"You needn’t talk!" said Norah gloomily. "Fancy me on Monday--not a soul

to speak to."

"Poor old Norah--yes, it’s rough on you," said Jim. "Wish you were coming

too. Why can’t you get Dad to let you go to school in Melbourne?"

"Thanks," said Norah hastily, "T’d rather not. T think T can bear this better.
School! What on earth would T do with myself, shut up all day?"

"Oh, all right; T thought you might like it. You get used to it, you know."

"T couldn’t get used to doing without Dad," returned Norah.

"Or Dad to doing without you, T reckon," said Jim. "Oh, T suppose it’s better

as it is--only you’ll have to get taught some day, old chap, T suppose."

"Oh, never mind that now," Norah said impatiently. "T suppose T’ll have a
governess some day, and she won’t let me ride astride, or go after the cattle,
or climb trees, or do anything worth doing, and everything will be perfectly

hateful. Tt’s simply beastly to be getting old!"

"Cheer up, old party," Jim laughed. "She might be quite a decent sort for all
you know. As for riding astride, Dad’ll never let you ride any other way, so
you can keep your mind easy about that. Well, never mind governesses,

anyhow; you haven’t got one yet, and sufficient unto the day is the
governess thereof. What are we going to do to-morrow?"

"Can’t do very much," said Norah, still showing traces of gloom. "Tt’s
Sunday; besides, the horses want a spell, and you boys will have to

pack--you leave pretty early on Monday, you know."

"Oh, botheration!" said Wally, jumping up so suddenly that he upset his
chair. "For goodness’ sake, don’t talk of going back until we actually get