The Dingo Boys | Page 5

knobbed stick from where it was stuck through the back of the piece of kangaroo skin he wore.
With this in his hand he rushed forward, and went through the pantomime of a fierce fight with an enemy, whom he seemed to chase and then caught and killed by repeated blows with the nulla-nulla he held in his hand, finishing off by taking a run and hurling it at another retreating enemy, the club flying through the air with such accuracy that he hit one of the horses by the tail, sending it off at a gallop.
"Norman! Rifle!" cried the captain from far behind; "don't let that fellow frighten those horses."
"I--I--can't help it, father," cried the boy, who was roaring with laughter.
"Tink Shanter funny?" cried the black; and he gave vent to the wallah-wallah noise again.
"Yes, you're a rum beggar," said Rifle, who looked upon him as if he were a big black child.
"Yes; Shanter rum beggar," said the black, with a satisfied smile, as if pleased with the new title; but he turned round fiercely directly after, having in his way grasped the meaning of the words but incorrectly.
"No, no," he said eagerly; "Shanter no rum beggar. No drunkum rum. Bah! ugh! Bad, bad, bad!"
He went through an excited pantomime expressive of horror and disgust, and shook his head furiously. "Shanter no rum beggar."
"I meant funny," said Rifle.
"Eh? Funny? Yes, lot o' fun."
"You make me laugh," continued Rifle.
"Eh? make um laugh? No make black fellow laugh. Break um head dreffle, dreffle. No like black fellow."
In due time they were close up to the hotel, where, the boys having taken down the rails, the new purchases made no scruple about allowing themselves to be driven in to join the rest of the live-stock, after which Shanter went up to the captain.
"Get tickpence," he cried, holding out his hand.
The coin was given, and thrust into the black's cheek.
"Just like a monkey at the zoological," said Norman, as he watched the black, who now went to the wharf, squatted down, and stared at the stern, sour-looking man--the captain's old servant--who was keeping guard over the stack of chests, crates, and bales.
The next thing was the arranging for the loan of a wagon from the landlord, upon the understanding that it was to be sent back as soon as possible. After which the loading up commenced, the new arrivals performing all themselves, the inhabitants of the busy place watching, not the least interested spectator being the black, who seemed to be wondering why white men took so much trouble and made themselves so hot.
One wagon was already packed by dusk, and in the course of the next day the other and the carts were piled high, the captain, from his old sapper-and-miner experience, being full of clever expedients for moving and raising weights with rollers, levers, block and fall, very much to the gratification of the dirty-looking man, who smoked and gave it as his opinion that the squire was downright clever.
"Your father was quite right, boys," said Uncle Jack, as the sheets were tightened over the last wagon. "We could not stop anywhere near such neighbours as these."
Then came the time when all was declared ready. Seats had been contrived behind the wagons; saddles, ordinary and side, unpacked for the horses; the tent placed in the care which bore the provisions, everything, in short, thought of by the captain, who had had some little experience of expeditions in India when with an army; and at last one morning the horses were put to cart and wagon, one of which was drawn by three yoke of oxen; every one had his or her duty to perform in connection with the long caravan, and after farewells had been said to their late companions on board ship and to the young doctor and the sugar-planter, all stood waiting for the captain to give the word to start.
Just then the doctor came up with his friend of the plantation.
"You will not think me impertinent, Captain Bedford, if I say that Henley here advises that you should keep near to the river valley, just away from the wood, so as to get good level land for your wagons."
"Certainly not; I am obliged," said the captain quietly.
"He thinks, too, that you will find the best land in the river bottom."
"Of course, of course," said the captain. "Good-day, gentlemen; I am much obliged."
"If you want any little service performed, pray send," said the doctor; "we will execute any commission with pleasure."
"I will ask you if I do," said the captain; and the two young men raised their hats and drew back.
"Father doesn't like men to be so civil," said Man.
"No; he doesn't like strangers," whispered back Rifle.
"Of course he doesn't," said Tim, in the same low voice. "It wasn't genuine