Page 167 - A Little Bush Maid

"That won’t take long," said Norah, with a grin. "Brush, comb, tooth-brush,
pyjamas; that’s all, Dad!"

"Such minor things as soap and towels don’t appear to enter into your

calculations," said her father. "Well T can bear it!"

"Oh, you silly old Dad! Of course T know about those. Only Brownie

always packs the ordinary, uninteresting things."

"T foresee a busy day for you and Brownie tomorrow," Mr. Linton said. "T’ll
have a laborious time myself, fixing up fishing tackle--if Jim and his merry
men left me with any. As for Billy, he will spend the day grubbing for bait.

Wherefore, everything being settled, come and play me ’The Last Rose of
Summer,’ and then say good-night."

Norah was up early, and the day passed swiftly in a whirl of preparations.
Everything was ready by evening, including a hamper of monumental

proportions, the consumption of which, Mr. Linton said, would certainly
render the party unfit for active exertion in the way of fishing. Billy’s

delight had made itself manifest in the broad grin which he wore all day
while he dug for worms, and chased crickets and grass-hoppers. The horses
were brought in and stabled overnight, so that an early start might be made.

Tt was quite an exciting day, and Norah was positive that she could not go

to sleep when her father sent her off to bed at an unusually early hour,
meeting her remonstrances with the reminder that she had to be up with, or
before, the lark. However, she was really tired, and was soon asleep. Tt

seemed to her that she had only been in this blissful condition for three
minutes when a hand was laid on her shoulder and she started up to find

daylight had come. Mr. Linton stood laughing at her sleepy face.

"D’you mean to say it’s morning?" said Norah.

"T’ve been led to believe so," her father rejoined. "Shall T pull you out, or

would you prefer to rise without assistance?"