Page 68 - A Little Bush Maid

For at the foot of the big blue-gum was a strange sight, in that lonely place.
Tt was nothing more or less than a small tent.

The flap of the tent was down, and there were no inhabitants to be seen; but

all about were signs of occupation. A well-blackened billy hung from the
ridge-pole. Close to the tent was a heap of dry sticks, and a little farther
away the ashes of a fire still smouldered, and over them a blackened bough,

supported by two forked sticks, showed that the billy had many times been
boiled there. The little camp was all very neat and tidy. "Tt looks quite

home-like," said Norah to herself.

As she watched, the flap of the tent was raised, and a very old man came

out. He was so tall that he had to bend almost double in stooping under the
canvas of the low tent. A queer old man, Norah thought him, as she drew

back instinctively into the shadow of the trees. When he straightened
himself he was wonderfully tall--taller even than Dad, who was over six
feet. He wore no hat, and his hair and beard were very long, and as white as

snow. Under bushy white eyebrows, a pair of bright blue eyes twinkled.
Norah decided that they were nice eyes.

But he certainly was queer. His clothes would hardly have passed muster in
Collins Street, and would even have attracted attention in Cunjee. He was

dressed entirely in skins--wallaby skins, Norah guessed, though there was
an occasional section that looked like ’possum. They didn’t look bad, either,

she thought-- a kind of sleeved waistcoat, and loose trousers, that were met
at the knee by roughly-tanned gaiters, or leggings. Still, the whole effect
was startling.

The old man walked across to his fire and, kneeling down, carefully raked

away the ashes. Then he drew out a damper--Norah had never seen one
before, but she knew immediately that it was a damper. Tt looked good,
too--nicely risen, and brown, and it sent forth a fragrance that was

decidedly appetizing. The old man looked pleased "Not half bad!" he said
aloud, in a wonderfully deep voice, which sounded so amazing in the bush

silence that Norah fairly jumped.