Page 85 - A Little Bush Maid

gravely inquisitive. Tt certainly would not have been human nature if Jim
had not longed for a gun; but the wallaby was evidently quite ignorant of

such a thing, and took them all in with his cool stare. At length Wally
sneezed violently, whereat the wallaby started, regarded the disturber of his

peace with an alarmed air, and finally bounded off into the scrub.

"There you go!" said the Hermit good-humouredly, "scaring my poor

beastie out of his wits."

"Couldn’t help it," mumbled Wally.

"No, a sneeze will out, like truth, won’t it?" the Hermit laughed. "That’s

how Miss Norah announced herself to me to-day. T might never have
known she was there if she hadn’t obligingly sneezed! T hope. you’re not

getting colds, children!" the Hermit added, with mock concern.

"Not much!" said Wally and Norah in a breath.

"Just after T came here," said the Hermit, "T was pretty short of tucker, and

it wasn’t a good time for fishing, so T was dependent on my gun for most of
my provisions. So one day, feeling much annoyed after a breakfast of
damper and jam, T took the gun and went off to stock up the larder.

"T went a good way without any luck. There didn’t seem anything to shoot

in all the bush, though you may be sure T kept my eyes about me. T was
beginning to grow disheartened. At length T made my way down to the
creek. Just as T got near it, T heard a whirr-r-r over my head, and looking up,

T saw a flock of wild duck. They seemed to pause a moment, and then
dropped downwards. T couldn’t see where they alighted, but of course T

knew it must be in the creek.

"Well, T didn’t pause," said the Hermit. "T just made my way down to the

creek as quickly as ever T could, remaining noiseless at the same time.
Ducks are easily scared, and T knew my hopes of dinner were poor if these

chaps saw me too soon.