Part 12 (1/2)
She said nothing more, for it was evident Eustace felt very s to what had pro adventure--such a tale to tell!
Presently, when he was left alone to try and get a little sleep before it was tiet up and dress, the full humiliation of it overcame him What would his father say? and Nesta? and, worse and worse, Bob Cochrane? Hoould be laughed at--teased! He would never be allowed to forget the dingo he had mistaken for a black-fellow; and he felt hot all over when he thought of that foolish shot--the cause of all the commotion
It was a very depressed Eustace who appeared at breakfast He took Robertson's unabated a at hi
Mrs Orban felt a good deal distressed to see how pale the boy was, and that he could hardly touch the food set before hins of exhaustion, as was natural after two nights of such unusual strain Mrs Orban kept Eustace with her all day, setting him small jobs to keep hiht, and the household slept without rocking
Next day, in the cool of the , Bob Cochrane rode over to inquire how the Orbans were getting on Eustace heard him come--the boy was on the lookout for this particular visit--and as Bob walked round one side of the veranda, Eustace disappeared along the other, left adown to the mill, and started away from the house at a run The truth was, he felt he simply could not be present while Bob listened to the story of his absurd adventures; he wanted the narration to be over before he faced the fusillade of chaff hich the young fellow ht pepper him ”He'll think me a silly little fool, I knoill,”
Eustace told hiain; ”and he'll say, 'What did I tell you about shooting recklessly?' I expect he'll think I', just when I was hoping hewith hihly out of conceit with hio hoone But no sooner did he reach theabout the rooms full of machinery than it struck him it had been rather cowardly even to run away for a ti him, and perhaps he would despise that as much as he was bound to be amused at the other The lad had a sharp tussle with his of ato the stake
He was about two-thirds of the way up when he caught sight of Bob Cochrane co doards hirow into--big, well--suit
”Hulloa!” he called as soon as he ca distance
”Hulloa!” Eustace called back tonelessly, his heart thu ridiculously
Bob waited till theyhand on the lad's shoulder and walking on beside hih tio in the way you did; I should have done it myself, I believe, under the circu, he was so surprised; he could not speak a word
”Of course that chap coe,”
proceeded Bob, ”and you were flurried by the first shot That ht have been a nasty business too Glad you didn't hurt yourself”
There was another pause, but Bob did not seeain presently,--
”It is just this kind of thing, I always think, that gives one a bit of a useful warning: first, to be cautious; and second, to keep a cool head You'll never go to sleep with a revolver ready cocked again, and another tiive yourself a second's deliberation before you fire at anything looking like aa tour of the house, you know”
Eustace felt suddenly rather sick
”I never thought of that,” he said
”Of course not,” was the cheery response ”One doesn't look all round a question in a hurry, but one has to learn to re of the idea one of these days I knoas a long ti I didn't quite like the looks of Sometimes it turns out well, soh Eustace, looking up into the merry, kindly face, knew that the awful time he had so dreaded was over, and it had not been an ”awful tiht have done the same himself, he said He only warned hiave him the reasons why he should
The boy had always adloith pride at this ht happen nohoeverknowledge always at heart--Bob understood, and Bob was a ht the lad war in the world I could do to show him what a brick I think hierous it is the better”
”I rerueso on easily ”I expect you've never heard about it, because you were nothing but a kiddy at the ti hoht--much later than the mater liked us to be out In order to be as quick as possible, e got to the little line running to the an pushi+ng ourselves along at a great rate It was the sort of darkness one can peer through, er than they really are”
”Like the dingo”
”Like the dingo Well, ere getting along finely, e got to rather a steep gradient and had to go slower up it Near the top one of us suddenly caught sight of soe cowering figure, wide but not tall
Whether four-legged or two-legged it was iloo silently waiting for one We all boo'd and shoo'd first, thinking that if it were a beast of any sort it would scoot at the noise; but it didn't stir an inch or make a sound We felt pretty creepy by then, for black-fellow tales were even commoner in those days than they are now Froroup of three men Then we shouted, 'Hands up and declare yourself, or we fire!' But still the creature didn't move or speak”
”My hat!” exclaiet past it somehow to reach hoave it two more chances, and then we fired for all orth There were instantly shrieks, groans, and such horrible sounds that aited for nothing round, sent the trolley flying past the awful spot and down the next hill Hoe didn't turn over and get killed down that incline I don't know--it was the one nearest home, you knohere one has to be so fearfully careful about putting on a brake as a rule However, we got in all right, and gave a detailed account of our adventure