Page 117 - A Little Bush Maid
P. 117
"Certainly T do," said Jim firmly, whereat Norah laughed very heartily.
"When T leave school, Dad says T can go on the roads with the cattle for one
trip," said Jim. "Be no end of fun--takes ever so long to bring them down
from Queensland, and the men have a real good time--travel with a cook,
and a covered buggy and pair to bring the tucker and tents along."
"What’ll you be?" asked Wally--"cook?"
"No, slushy," said Harry.
"No, T’ll take you two chaps along in those billets," grinned Jim.
"T don’t know who’d be cook," said Norah solemnly; "but T don’t think the
men would be in very good condition at the end of the trip, whichever of
you it was!"
With such pleasantries they beguiled the way, until, on rounding a bend in
the track, a dull roar came plainly to their ears.
"What’s that?" asked Wally, stopping to listen.
"That’s the falls, my boy," replied Jim. "They’re really quite respectable
falls--almost Niagarous! Come along, we’ll see them in a couple of
minutes."
The sound of falling water became plainer and plainer as they pushed on.
At this point the track was less defined and the scrub thicker--Jim explained
that the cattle did not come here much, as there was no drinking-place for
them for a good distance below the falls. They might almost have imagined
themselves back in the bush near the Hermit’s camp, Harry said, as they
pushed their way through scrub and undergrowth, many raspberry vines
adding variety, if not charm, to the scramble. The last part of the walk was
up bill, and at length they came out upon a clearer patch of ground.