From Squire to Squatter Part 33

The young man was both proud and pleased to have an opportunity of showing Etheldene round the settlement, all the more so that there was to be a muster of the herds that day, and neighbour-squatters had come on horseback to a.s.sist. This was a kind of a love-darg which was very common in Queensland a few years ago, and probably is to this day.

Archie pointed laughingly towards the stock whip Etheldene carried. He never for a moment imagined it was in the girl's power to use or manage such an instrument.

"That is a pretty toy, Miss Winslow," he said.

"Toy, do you call it, sir?" said this young Diana, pouting prettily.

"It is only a lady's whip, for the thong is but ten feet long. But listen."

It flew from her hands as she spoke, and the sound made every animal within hearing raise head and sniff the air.

"Well," said Archie, "I hope you won't run into any danger."

"Oh," she exclaimed, "danger is fun!" And she laughed right merrily, and looked as full of life and beauty as a bird in spring time.

Etheldene was tall and well-developed for her age, for girls in this strange land very soon grow out of their childhood.

Archie had called her Diana in his own mind, and before the day was over she certainly had given proof that she well merited the t.i.tle.

New herds had arrived, and had for one purpose or another to be headed into the stock yards. This is a task of no little difficulty, and to-day being warm these cattle appeared unusually fidgety. Twos and threes frequently stampeded from the mob, and went determinedly dashing back towards the creek and forest, so there was plenty of opportunities for anyone to show off his horsemanship. Once during a chase like this Archie was surprised to see Etheldene riding neck and neck for a time with a furious bull. He trembled for her safety as he dashed onwards to her a.s.sistance. But crack, crack, crack went the brave girl's whip; she punished the runaway most unmercifully, and had succeeded in turning him ere her Northumbrian cavalier rode up. A moment more and the bull was tearing back towards the herd he had left, a stockman or two following close behind.

"I was frightened for you," said Archie.

"Pray, don't be so, Mr Broadbent. I don't want to think myself a child, and I should not like you to think me one. Mind, I've been in the Bush all my life."

But there was more and greater occasion to be frightened for Etheldene ere the day was done. In fact, she ran so madly into danger, that the wonder is she escaped. She had a gallant, soft-mouthed horse--that was one thing to her advantage--and the girl had a gentle hand.

But Archie drew rein himself, and held his breath with fear, to see a maddened animal, that she was pressing hard, turn wildly round and charge back on horse and rider with all the fury imaginable. A turn of the wrist of the bridle hand, one slight jerk of the fingers, and Etheldene's horse had turned on a pivot, we might almost say, and the danger was over.

So on the whole, instead of Archie having had a very grand opportunity for showing off his powers before this young Diana, it was rather the other way.

The hunt ended satisfactory to both parties; and while Sarah was getting an extra good dinner ready, Archie proposed a canter "to give them an appet.i.te."

"Have you got an appet.i.te, Mr Broadbent? I have."

It was evident Etheldene was not too fine a lady to deny the possession of good health.

"Yes," said Archie; "to tell you the plain truth, I'm as hungry as a hunter. But it'll do the nags good to stretch their legs after so much wheeling and swivelling."

So away they rode again, side by side, taking the blazed path towards the plains.

"You are sure you can find your way back, I suppose?" said Etheldene.

"I think so."

"It would be good fun to be lost."

"Would you really like to be?"

"Oh, we would not be altogether, you know! We would find our way to some hut and eat damper, or to some grand hotel, I suppose, in the Bush, and father and Craig would soon find us."

"Father and you have known Craig long?"

"Yes, many, many years. Poor fellow, it is quite a pity for him.

Father says he was very clever at college, and is a Master of Arts of Cambridge."

"Well, he has taken his hogs to a nice market."

"But father would do a deal for him if he could trust him. He has told father over and over again that plenty of people would trust him if he could only trust himself."

"Poor man! So nice-looking too! They may well call him Gentleman Craig."

"But is it not time we were returning?"

"Look! look!" she cried, before Archie could answer. "Yonder is a bull-fight. Whom does the little herd belong to?"

"Not to us. We are far beyond even our pastures. We have cut away from them. This is a kind of no-man's land, where we go shooting at times; and I daresay they are trespa.s.sers or wild cattle. Pity they cannot be tamed."

"They are of no use to anyone, I have heard father say, except to shoot.

If they be introduced into a herd of stock cattle, they teach all the others mischief. But see how they fight! Is it not awful?"

"Yes. Had we not better return? I do not think your father would like you to witness such sights as that."

The girl laughed lightly.

"Oh," she cried, "you don't half know father yet! He trusts me everywhere. He is very, very good, though not so refined as some would have him to be."

The cows of this herd stood quietly by chewing their cuds, under the shade of a huge gum tree, while two red-eyed giant bulls struggled for mastery in the open.

It was a curious fight, and a furious fight. At the time Archie and his companion came in sight of the conflict, they had closed, and were fencing with their horns with as much skill, apparently, as any two men armed with foils could have displayed. The main points to be gained appeared to be to unlock or get out of touch of each other's horns long enough to stab in neck and shoulder, and during the time of being in touch to force back and gain ground. Once during this fight the younger bull backed his opponent right to the top of a slight hill. It was a supreme effort, and evidently made in the hope that he would hurl him from a height at the other side. But in this he was disappointed; for the top was level, and the older one, regaining strength, hurled his enemy down the hill again far more quickly than he had come up. Round and round, and from side to side, the battle raged, till at long last the courage and strength of one failed completely. He suffered himself to be backed, and it was evident was only waiting an opportunity to escape uncut and unscathed. This came at length, and he turned and, with a cry of rage, dashed madly away to the forest. The battle now became a chase, and the whole herd, holloaing good luck to the victor, joined in it.

As there was no more to be seen, Archie and Etheldene turned their horses' heads homewards.

They had not ridden far, however, before the vanquished bull himself hove in sight. He was alone now, though still tearing off in a panic, and moaning low and angrily to himself.

It was at this moment that what Archie considered a happy inspiration took possession of our impulsive hero.

"Let us wait till he pa.s.ses," he said, "and drive him before us to camp."

Easily said. But how was it to be done?

They drew back within the shadow of a tree, and the bull rushed past.

Then out pranced knight Archie, cracking his stock whip.

The monster paused, and wheeling round tore up the ground with his hoofs in a perfect agony of anger.

"What next?" he seemed to say to himself. "It is bad enough to be beaten before the herd; but I will have my revenge now."

The brute's roaring now was like the sound of a gong, hollow and ringing, but dreadful to listen to.