First in the Field Part 17

"Legs seem to be better, Nic?" said the doctor.

"Yes; I had forgotten them, father. But those birds!"

"Well, you scared them. You saw what they were?"

"Not white pigeons or gulls?" said Nic. "I could almost have fancied that they were c.o.c.katoos."

"No fancy about it, Nic. They were sulphur crests. You'll see thousands in the groves down by the river."

"Is there a river about here?"

"Your wet clothes seemed to suggest something of the kind," said the doctor, laughing.

"But that was a pond," said Nic.

"A water-hole--a deep place in the river. That depression is a river, Nic," continued the doctor, pointing; "there it runs yonder. You can trace it by the trees which cl.u.s.ter along its course. It is dried up now, all but a hole here and there; but after rains it is a rushing stream, and I dare say a little water is always trickling along its course from hole to hole a few feet under ground. Now then, pack up the basket. We shall want it for supper. Have a nap afterwards if you are tired. I shall not go on for an hour and a half yet."

But Nic wanted no nap--there was too much to see; and it did not seem to be long before the order was given to yoke the oxen and saddle up.

CHAPTER NINE.

NIC'S EXPERIENCES.

"Now, Nic," said the doctor, as they stood ready to make a fresh start, "we shall go on, so as to reach another water-hole and camp for the night."

As he spoke the doctor rammed down the last wad and examined the priming of the new gun Nic had brought out. Then, finding the pan full of powder, he tried whether the flint was well screwed up in the hammer.

"Put these on," he said, and he handed the boy his shot-belt and powder-flask.

"Are we going to shoot anybody, father?" asked Nic eagerly.

"I hope not, boy; but it is a custom out here to go armed when you are travelling, and we are getting some distance out now away from the town.

Up with your and try and mount a little better. Take hold of your reins and the mane there tightly, up with your left foot into the stirrup, and lay your hand on the cantle of the saddle; don't pull it, only support yourself by it. Now draw your off rein a little, so that the horse cannot sidle away, spring up lightly, and throw your leg over.

Mount."

Nic obeyed, as he thought, to the letter, and got into the saddle somehow, making his horse fidget and wag its tail uneasily.

"Bad--very bad," cried the doctor, laughing. "I said throw your leg over. You tried to throw yourself over. Never mind; you'll soon learn.

Look at me. One moment: take your gun."

Nic took the gun handed to him, and was shown how to carry it across his rein arm, and then he enviously watched his father take hold of a wisp of the horse's mane, place a foot in the stirrup, and lightly swing himself into the saddle, while his horse hung toward him a little, otherwise remained perfectly still.

"You'll soon do it, Nic. Legs feel stiff?"

"A bit cramped," replied the boy.

"Forward, then, at a walk. I shall not hold your rein now. Your nag will not leave his companion."

"Hadn't you better, father, till I get more used to it?" asked Nic uneasily.

"No," said the doctor decisively. "It was quite right this morning over your first lesson. You have learned a little already, and I don't want you, as it were, to learn to swim with corks. Come along. Steady, lad, steady."

This was to Nic's steed, which began to amble, keeping up a nice gentle motion, which would have been very pleasant if the boy had not felt a bit nervous. But as it found its stable companion continued to pace, Sour Sorrel followed its example and dropped into a walk.

The waggon was already a quarter of a mile onward, and the dogs were hanging back watching them, barking furiously till they were overtaken, and having a few encouraging words delivered to them as father and son rode on.

"I should like to set them free," said the doctor, "but I dare not yet."

The afternoon ride was almost a repet.i.tion of that in the morning, and from time to time they pa.s.sed water-holes, showing that they were keeping along the course of the river, though it was not until it was pointed out to him that Nic knew he was for some distance travelling along the dry bed and was crossing it, the depression seeming little different from the surrounding country.

Weariness had something to do with it, for to Nic the country did not seem so beautiful as in the morning. He had been many hours in the saddle, and though the pace had only been a walk, the unaccustomed position told upon his muscles, and, in spite of a hint or two from his father, the boy's att.i.tude was far from upright. He had ceased, too, for some time to keep a keen look-out for birds and kangaroos. Earlier in the afternoon he had seen some reddish, dun-coloured animals in the distance; but these had, upon nearer approach, turned out to be cattle, and a feeling of disappointment began to make itself evident as they rode on and on, till toward sunset, when the waggon was quite half a mile ahead, Nic noticed that the bright greyish white tilt was glowing and turning ruddier against the dark lines of a clump of trees, and a minute later it still seemed to be in the same position.

Nic felt disposed to draw his father's attention to the fact that the waggon was not moving, but his feeling of disinclination even to speak was growing upon him, and he was riding bent forward in silence, noticing what appeared to be a bed of whitish mist spreading among the trees, when his father startled him out of his thoughtful musings by saying laconically:

"Camp."

Nic turned and looked at him inquiringly.

"Camp, Nic," he said. "Don't you see that they've lit a fire?"

"Oh!" cried the boy, raising himself up. "I thought it was mist."

"No, Nic, smoke. That's the first thing we do out here when we halt for the night: light a fire and put on the billy."

Nic gave another inquiring look, and his father smiled.

"You'll soon learn all our colonial terms, boy," he said. "A billy is a large cross-handled saucepan to boil water in and make our tea. I'll show you how that is done--when we get there."

"I know how to make tea," said Nic.

"Yes, but not our way."

Nic looked wonderingly at his father.

"You are on the other side of the world now," said the doctor. "Now then, what do you say to a trot for the rest of the way?"

The boy winced, but he mastered his shrinking sensation.

"Very well, father," he said.

"No," said the doctor. "I'll let you off till to-morrow. You've done enough for one day."

Ten minutes after they were dismounting in just such a spot as that chosen for their mid-day halt. The cattle were unyoked, and had gone of their own accord to a water-hole about fifty yards away; the fire was burning brightly, and the kettle giving forth a few preliminary snorts, suggestive of rising steam; and the waggon was drawn close up under a huge, wide-spreading tree, among whose branches the soft cooing of pigeons could be heard. The horses were hobbled, unsaddled, and rubbed down, and when they were led off to drink, the travellers went a few yards away for a refreshing wash.

"Now, Nic," said the doctor after their return and when the provisions had been taken from the waggon, "you shall see our colonial mode of making tea."

As he spoke he poured a goodly portion into the lid of the canister, waited till the water in the billy was well on the boil, when he tossed in the whole of the tea, gave it a rapid stir round to send all the dry leaf beneath the surface, and then lifted it off the fire, let it stand for a very short time, filled the big tin mugs with which they were provided, then those of the men, after which they sat down to their evening meal.