From Squire to Squatter Part 16

Then Archie, instead of letting his thoughts dwell any longer on the past, began at once to bridge over for himself the long period of time that must elapse ere he should return to Burley Old Farm. Of course there would be changes. He dared say Walton would be away; but Elsie and Rupert would still be there, and his father and mother, looking perhaps a little older, but still as happy. And the burned farm-steading would be restored, or if it were not, it soon should be after he came back; for he would be rich, rolling in wealth in fact, if half the stories he had heard of Australia were true, even allowing that _all_ the streets were not paved with gold, and _all_ the houses not roofed with sparkling silver.

So engrossed was he with these pleasant thoughts, that he had not observed the advent of a pa.s.senger who had entered the saloon, and sat quietly down on a camp-stool near him. A man of about forty, dressed in a rough pilot suit of clothes, with a rosy weather-beaten but pleasant face, and a few grey hairs in his short black beard.

He was looking at Archie intently when their eyes met, and the boy felt somewhat abashed. The pa.s.senger, however, did not remove his glance instantly; he spoke instead.

"You've never been to sea before, have you?"

"No, sir; never been off the land till a week ago."

"Going to seek your fortune?"

"Yes; I'm going to _make_ my fortune."

"Bravo! I hope you will."

"What's to hinder me?"

"Nothing; oh, nothing much! Everybody doesn't though. But you seem to have a bit of go in you."

"Are you going to make yours?" said Archie.

The stranger laughed.

"No," he replied. "Unluckily, perhaps, mine was made for me. I've been out before too, and I'm going again to see things."

"You're going in quest of adventure?"

"I suppose that is really it. That is how the story-books put it, anyhow. But I don't expect to meet with adventures like Sinbad the Sailor, you know; and I don't think I would like to have a little old man of the sea with his little old legs round my neck."

"Australia is a very wonderful place, isn't it?"

"Yes; wonderfully wonderful. Everything is upside-down there, you know.

To begin with, the people walk with their heads downwards. Some of the trees are as tall as the moon, and at certain seasons of the year the bark comes tumbling off them like rolls of shoeleather. Others are shaped like bottles, others again have heads of waving gra.s.s, and others have ferns for tops. There are trees, too, that drop all their leaves to give the flowers a chance; and these are so brilliantly red, and so numerous, that the forest where they grow looks all on fire. Well, many of the animals walk or jump on two legs, instead of running on four.

Does that interest you?"

"Yes. Tell me something more about birds."

"Well, ducks are everywhere in Australia, and many kinds are as big as geese. They seem to thrive. And ages ago, it is said by the natives, the moles in Australia got tired of living in the dark, and held a meeting above-ground, and determined to live a different mode of life.

So they grew longer claws, and short, broad, flat tails, and bills like ducks, and took to the water, and have been happy ever since.

"Well, there are black swans in abundance; and though it is two or three years since I was out last, I cannot forget a beautiful bird, something betwixt a pheasant and peac.o.c.k, and the c.o.c.k's tail is his especial delight. It is something really to be proud of, and at a distance looks like a beautiful lyre, strings and all. The c.o.c.katoos swarm around the trees, and scream and laugh at the lyre-bird giving himself airs, but I daresay this is all envy. The hen bird is not a beauty, but her chief delight is to watch the antics and att.i.tudes of her lord and master as he struts about making love and fun to her time about, at one moment singing a kind of low, sweet song, at another mocking every sound that is heard in the forest, every noise made by man or bird or beast. No wonder the female lyre-bird thinks her lord the cleverest and most beautiful creature in the world!

"Then there is a daft-looking kingfisher, all head and bill, and wondering eyes, who laughs like a jacka.s.s, and makes you laugh to hear him laugh. So loud does he laugh at times that his voice drowns every other sound in the forest.

"There is a bird eight feet high, partly ca.s.sowary, partly ostrich, that when attacked kicks like a horse, or more like a cow, because it kicks sideways. But if I were to sit here till our good ship reached the Cape, I could not tell you about half the curious, beautiful, and ridiculous creatures and things you will find in Australia if you move much about. I do think that that country beats all creation for the gorgeousness of its wild birds and wild flowers; and if things do seem a bit higgledy-piggledy at first, you soon settle down to it, and soon tire wondering at anything.

"But," continued the stranger, "with all their peculiarities, the birds and beasts are satisfied with their get-up, and pleased with their surroundings, although all day long in the forests the c.o.c.katoos, and parrots, and piping crows, and lyre-birds do little else but joke and chaff one another because they all look so comical.

"Yes, lad, Australia you will find is a country of contrarieties, and the only wonder to me is that the rivers don't all run up-hill instead of running down; and mind, they are sometimes broader at their sources than they are at their ends."

"There is plenty of gold there?" asked Archie.

"Oh, yes, any amount; but--"

"But what, sir?"

"The real difficulty--in fact, the only difficulty--is the finding of it."

"But that, I suppose, can be got over."

"Come along with me up on deck, and we'll talk matters over. It is hot and stuffy down here; besides, they are going to lay the cloth."

Arrived at the quarterdeck, the stranger took hold of Archie's arm, as if he had known him all his life.

"Now," he said, "my name is Vesey, generally called Captain Vesey, because I never did anything that I know of to merit the t.i.tle. I've been in an army or two in different parts of the globe as a free lance, you know."

"How nice!"

"Oh, delightful!" said Captain Vesey, though from the tone of his voice Archie was doubtful as to his meaning. "Well," he added, "I own a yacht, now waiting for me, I believe, at the Cape of Good Hope, if she isn't sunk, or burned, or something. And your tally?"

"My what, sir?"

"Your tally, your name, and the rest of it?"

"Archie Broadbent, son of Squire Broadbent, of Burley Old Farm, Northumberland."

"What! you a son of Charlie Broadbent? Yankee Charlie, as we used to call him at the club. Well, well, well, wonders will never cease; and it only shows how small the world is, after all."

"And you used to know my father, sir?"

"My dear boy, I promised myself the pleasure of calling on him at Burley. I've only been home for two months, however; and I heard--well, boy, I needn't mince matters--I heard your father had been unfortunate, and had left his place, and gone n.o.body could tell me whither."

"No," said Archie, laughing, "it isn't quite so bad as all that; and it is bound to come right in the end."

"You are talking very hopefully, lad. I could trace a resemblance in your face to someone I knew the very moment I sat down. And there is something like the same cheerful ring in your voice there used to be in his. You really are a chip of the old block."

"So they say." And Archie laughed again, pleased by this time.

"But, you know, lad, you are very young to be going away to seek your fortune."

"I'll get over that, sir."

"I hope so. Of course, you won't go pottering after gold!"

"I don't know. If I thought I would find lots, I would go like a shot."

"Well, take my advice, and don't. There, I do not want to discourage you; but you better turn your mind to farming--to squatting."

"That wouldn't be very genteel, would it?"