Page 123 - A Little Bush Maid

Norah and her wheeled boat, but when it went down a bit she set off
voyaging. She did look a rum little figure, out in the middle of the water,

pushing herself along with her two sticks! Mrs. Lister didn’t approve of it,
but as Dad had given her leave, the housekeeper couldn’t stop her."

At this point Norah was heard to murmur "Cat!"

"Just so!" said Jim. "Well, you know, T used to poke fun at Norah and this
thing. But one day T had gone down to the water’s edge, and she came up on

it, poling herself through the water at a great rate, and it occurred to me it
didn’t look half bad fun. So T suggested a turn myself."

"You said, ’Here, kid, let’s have that thing for a bit,’" said Norah firmly.

"Did T?" said Jim, with meekness.

"Yes, you did. So T kindly got off."

"Then?" asked Harry.

"He got on. T said, ’Jim, dear, pray be careful about the holes, and let me tell
you where they are!’"

"T’m sure you did!" grinned Wally.

"And he said, ’Tf a kid like you can keep out of holes, T guess T can!’"

"T’m sure he did!" said Wally.

"Yes. So he set off. Now T had been over that flat so often in dry weather
that T knew every bit of it. But Jim didn’t. He went off as hard as he could,
and got on very well for a little bit-- "

"Am T telling this yarn, or are you?" inquired Jim, laughing.