Tom Gerrard

nt down over his horse's shoulder, and looked inquiringly into the fa

came out for a walk, a

e do you

hild pointed with a strong, sun-browned h

t t

oast them in the stockman's kitc

who i

us; I'm Ma

y wh

bus,

e. Then taking his pipe out of his pocket, he filled and lit it, and mot

me, my dear?" and he took

zabeth W

, did you ever hear he

, wonderingly, "he's a cattle

ary. I'm the Uncle Tom, and

hy! Uncle Westonley says it's

ir caressingly; "quite two thousand miles," and then as he looked at her

ly my uncle T

and you are my niece Mary. Your mothe

stonley l

dly grey eyes smiled as he stroked

's T

of course. Don't you

'Uncle Westonley.' Aunt Elizabeth said I must never say 'Uncle Ted,' as it

er face. In her dreamy, violet-hued eyes, with the dark pencilled brows, a

a cold-hearted prig, and always will be to the end of her days-even in her moribund moments. How could she let this child wander o

miles,

.' Who taught y

Eliz

e. I'm your uncle. And you must

ists on my saying '

ist on your calling me 'sir.' You see I shouldn't like it I want you to call me 'Uncle Tom.' Lo

says you're go

u see. 'Godless and wild' doesn't mean anything very bad when Aunt Elizabeth says

s,

le T

Uncl

ll you let me come with you? I'm awfully

ace lighted up, "oh! I wish Jim was

y. His sister Elizabeth had no child

I am. When did he

t him from Sydney about

is he

beth. He's been fractious

g pun

cked up in th

did

indle bull calf, and tr

d i

Jim had his forehead cut,

down his pipe, "And what

" said the child gravely, and as sh

er mind, Mary; now you and I s

fted off the saddle with its valise, hobbled the horse, and t

you get pippies. Then we will come back and cook them, and have some tea and some damper as well, for

and your gun, too

Jim must be a man

that, Un

ng for the pippies. You show me how you g

low, and the "pippies" (cockles) were easily had, for they protruded their suckers out upon every few inches of the sand. Gerrard, booted and spurred as he was, went into the water, dug into the sand with his hands, a

not going to Marumbah to-night, and you must stay

Aunt Elizabeth

won't. I will explain everyt

the child was attending to the roasting of the pippies, he was boiling a billy of t

ies and wild duck, and tea and damper, and after that is over you shall be tucked up

Elizab

othing to say about it. I'll settle with her. Now, s

m, let me go home

won't say a word to you." He smiled somewhat grimly to himself, "don't be afraid of that. You

room, just off

d J

im to sleep in the house, so he sl

d is he

Tom. He is really and truly such a good boy-Uncle Westonley says so, but Aunt Eli

fire; "you see, your Aunt Elizabeth doesn't mean to be unkind to you-it's only her way of saying that you and Jim are troublesome at times.

hen Gerrard spreading out his blankets under the shelter of a spreading wild honeys

, dear," he said softly, "but you needn'

ong, and denotes laziness, Aunt Elizabeth

he stars. And I daresay it does 'denote laziness,' as Aunt Elizabeth says. But at the same time I think it

om! Are you

re as ducks are ducks-especial

ay my prayer

owned hands together and said th

say the

ext

he Catechism. Aunt Eliza

it, did she? Yes, by all

er eyes again, and

"'I will try hard to hasten my rebellious spirit,-no not hasten, but chasten-I always say that wrong, Uncle Tom-to reverently submit myself to all my governors, teachers, spiritual pastors and masters: to regulate my

ned with the

bit too long a prayer for very little girls.

be nice! Sometimes Uncle West

is Bu

the Lord's Prayer, and the extrack, he lets me pray for Bunny because he is full of ticks, and Jim says hell die. I say 'dear God, don't let Bu

little woman. I think

thing but the very youngest, weeniest gum leaves, and Aunt Elizabeth

and kissed her. "I'll try and cure Bunny for you. I know a heap of

s face,* "Oh! Uncle Tom, you are as

laid himself down upon the sandy ground bes

n with little Mary held in front of him. Mrs Westonley, pale

ging her home! I sent out Toby, the black boy, to look for h

dismounted and kissed his sister, "Toby did find her-that is, he found her and me

was about to deliver a lecture, when her brothe

if you bully that unfortunate youngster, I'll just get into my sadd

flushed deeply. "I never expected suc

e stern reply; "I found her five miles from here, wandering alone. Have you no love or sympathy in

nds together in mingled anger and fear that this brother-fift

is a grea

r, the poor little mite. But I

s! Never! Wha

the house, and patted he

ut some unfortunate child committed to her care, as an 'incubus.' Now, that's all I have to say. I love the kid alr

awake or dreaming. Who but this handsome, sunburnt brother would da