Back to Billabong Part 16

"I don't think we need bother you to tell us," she said. "In our country it's a very ordinary thing to give anyone a lift, if you have a seat to spare. Isn't it, daddy?"

"Of course," said her father. "And we are to be fellow-pa.s.sengers, so it was very lucky that we were there in the nick of time."

Cecilia looked at them gratefully. It might have been so different, she thought; she might have flung herself on the mercy of people who would have been suspicious and frigid, or of others who would have treated her with familiarity and curious questioning. These people were pleasantly matter-of-fact; glad to help, but plainly anxious to show her that they considered her affairs none of their business. There was a little catch in her throat as she answered.

"It is very good of you to take me on trust--I know I did an unwarrantable thing. But my brother, Captain Rainham, will explain everything, and he will be as grateful to you as I am. He is at the ship now."

"Then we can hand you over to his care," said her host. "By the way, is there any need to guard against the--er--lady you spoke of? Is she likely to follow you to the docks?"

"She doesn't know I'm going," said Cecilia, dimpling. "Of course, if it were in a novel she would leap into a swift motor and bid the driver follow us, and be even now on our heels--"

"Goodness!" said the other girl. She twisted so that she could look out of the tiny window at the back; turning back with a relieved face.

"Nothing near us but a carrier's van and a pony cart," she said. "I shouldn't think you need worry."

"No. I really don't think I need. My stepmother did see me in the taxi, but her brain doesn't move very swiftly, nor does she, for that matter--and I'm sure she wouldn't try to follow me. She knows, too, that if she found me she couldn't drag me away as if I were two years old.

Oh, I'm sure I'm safe from her now," finished Cecilia, with a sigh of relief.

"At any rate, if she comes to the docks she will have your brother to deal with," said the big man. "And here we are."

They got out at the big gate where the Irish policeman greeted Cecilia with a friendly "Did ye find it now, miss?" and beamed upon her when she held up her wrist, with her watch safely in its place. He examined her companions' pa.s.sports, but let her through with an airy "Sure, this young lady's all right," which made Cecilia feel that no further proof could be needed of her respectability. Then Bob came hurrying to meet her.

"I was just beginning to get uneasy about you," he said. "Did you have any trouble?"

"My taxi broke down," Cecilia answered. "But this lady and gentleman most kindly gave me a seat, and saved me ever so much trouble. I'll tell you my story presently."

Bob turned, saluting.

"Thanks, awfully," he said. "I wasn't too happy at letting my little sister run about alone in a strange city, but it couldn't be helped."

"I'm very glad we were there," said the big man. "Now, can you tell me where luggage should go? My son and a friend are somewhere on the pier, I suppose, but it doesn't seem as though finding them would be an easy matter."

The pier, indeed, resembled a hive in which the bees have broken loose.

Beside it lay the huge bulk of the transport, towering high above all the dock buildings near. Already she swarmed with Australian soldiers, and a steady stream was still pa.s.sing aboard by the overhead gangway to the blare and crash of a regimental march. The pier itself was crowded with officers, with a sprinkling of women and children--most of them looking impatient enough at being kept ash.o.r.e instead of being allowed to seek their quarters on the ship. Great heaps of trunks were stacked here and there, and a crane was steadily at work swinging them aboard.

"We can't go aboard yet, n.o.body seems to know why," Bob said. "An individual called an embarkation officer, or something of the kind, has to check our pa.s.sports; he was supposed to be here before three o'clock, but there's no sign of him yet, and every one has to wait his convenience. It's hard on the women with little children--the poor mites are getting tired and cross. Luggage can be left in the care of the ship's hands, to be loaded; I'll show you where, sir, if you like. Is this yours?" His eye fell on a truck-load of trunks, wheeled up by a porter, and lit up suddenly as he noticed the name on their labels.

"Oh--are you Mr. Linton?" he exclaimed. "I believe I've got a letter for you, from General Harran."

"Now, I was wondering where I'd heard your name before, when your sister happened to say you were Captain Rainham," said the big man. "How stupid of me--of course, I met Harran at my club this week, and he told me about you." He held out his hand, and took Bob's warmly; then he turned to his daughter. "Norah, it's lucky that we have made friends with Miss Rainham already, because you know she's in our care, after a fashion."

Norah Linton turned with a quick smile.

"I'm so glad," she said. "I've been wondering what you would be like, because we didn't know of anyone else on board."

"General Harran told my brother that you would befriend us, but I did not think you would begin so early," Cecilia said. "Just fancy, Bob, they rescued me almost from the clutches of the she-dragon!"

Bob jumped.

"You don't mean to say you met her?"

"I did--as soon as my cab broke down. And I lost my head and ran from her like a hare, and jumped into Mr. Linton's car!"

Bob regarded her with solemn amazement.

"So this is what happens when I let you go about alone!" he e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed.

"Why, you might have got yourself into an awful mess--it might have been anybody's car--"

"Yes, but it wasn't," said his sister serenely. "You see, I looked at Miss Linton first, and I knew it would be all right."

The Lintons laughed unrestrainedly.

"That's your look of benevolent old age, Norah," said her father. "I've often noticed it coming on."

"I wish you'd mention it to Wally," Norah said. "He might treat me with more respect if you did."

"I doubt it; it isn't in Wally," said her father. "Now, Rainham, shall we see about this luggage?"

They handed it over to the care of deck hands, and watched it loaded, with many other trunks, into a huge net, which the crane seized, swung to an enormous height and then lowered gently upon the deck of the Nauru. Just as the operation was finished two figures threaded their way through the crowd towards them; immensely tall young officers, with the badge of a British regiment on their caps.

"Hullo, dad," said the taller--a good-looking grave-faced fellow, with a strong resemblance to Norah. "We hardly expected you down so early."

"Well, Norah and I had nothing to do, so we thought we might as well come; though it appears that we would have been wiser not to hurry,"

said Mr. Linton. "Jim, I want to introduce you to two courageous emigrants--Miss Rainham, Captain Rainham--my son."

Jim Linton shook hands, and introduced his companion, Captain Meadows, who was dark and well built, with an exceedingly merry eye.

"We've been trying to get round the powers that be, to make our way on board," he said. "The chief difficulty is that the powers that be aren't there; everything is hung up waiting for this blessed official. I suppose the honest man is sleeping off the effects of a heavy lunch."

"If he knew what hearty remarks are being made about him by over two hundred angry people, it might disturb his rest," said Wally Meadows.

"Come along and see them--you're only on the fringe of the crowd here."

"Wally's been acting as nursemaid for the last half hour," Jim said, as they made their way along the pier. "He rescued a curly-haired kid from a watery grave--at least, it would have been in if he hadn't caught it by the hind leg--and after that the kid refused to let him go."

"He was quite a jolly kid," said Wally. "Only he seems to have quicksilver in him, instead of blood. I'm sorry for his mother--she'll have a packed time for the next five weeks." He sighed. "Hide me, Norah--there he is now!"

The curly-haired one proved to be little Tim Burton, who detached himself from his mother on catching sight of Wally, and trotted across to him with a shrill cry of "There's mine officer!"--whereat Wally swung him up on his shoulder, to his infinite delight. Mrs. Burton hurried up to claim her offspring, and was made known to every one by Cecilia.

"It's such an awful wait," she said wearily. "We came here soon after two o'clock, thinking we would get the children on board early for their afternoon sleep; now it's after four, and we have stood here ever since.

It's too tantalizing with the ship looking at us, and the poor babies are so tired. Still, I'm not the worst off. Look at that poor girl."

She pointed out a white-faced girl who was sitting in a drooping att.i.tude on a very dirty wooden case. She was dainty and refined in appearance; and looking at her, one felt that the filthy case was the most welcome thing she had found that afternoon. Her husband, an officer scarcely more than a boy, stood beside, trying vainly to hush the cries of a tiny baby. She put up her arms wearily as they looked at her.

"Oh, give her to me, Harry." She took the little bundle and crooned over it; and the baby wailed on unceasingly.

"Oh!" said Norah Linton. She took a quick stride forward. They watched her accost the young mother--saw the polite, yet stiff, refusal on the English girl's face; saw Norah, with a swift decided movement stoop down and take the baby from the reluctant arms, putting any protest aside with a laugh. A laugh went round the Linton party also.

"I knew she'd get it," said Jim.