The Gilpins and their Fortunes | Page 5

laconic answer; "and rum things
done."
In this Sam agreed, informing Mr Sykes--for this, he ascertained, was
the coachman's name--how he had lost his property.
"Be thou the young man who stopped the 'osses?" inquired Sykes.

"The young squires did it, and I helped 'em," said Sam.
"And saved my bacon," observed Sykes.
"I say, Muster Sykes, what's the gen'l'man's name?" asked Sam,
discovering, perhaps, by the tone of the coachman's voice, rather than
by any perceptible change in his mask-like features, that he was not ill
disposed towards him, and preparing therefore to be confidential.
Sykes informed him that his master's name was Prentiss, that he was a
large squatter, that there were other brothers all well off, and an old
father; and that, take him all in all as masters went, he was not a bad
one. Sam, in return, told him all about himself, and all he knew about
the Gilpins, by which time the carriage had reached the door of Mr
Prentiss's residence, in one of the best parts of Sydney. It was a
handsome house; and a respectable-looking servant-woman, after a few
words from the coachman, showed the Gilpins into a well-furnished
dining-room, their luggage being placed in the hall.
"You'll go with me, young man," observed Mr Sykes to Sam; "you'll be
more comfortable than with the gentry."
To this Sam agreed; and drove round to the back of the house, where he
was introduced to Mrs Sykes, who lived over the coach-house, and
numerous Masters and Misses Sykes, thin, sallow, and remarkably
precocious young people, the eldest not being more than ten. Among
this hopeful family Sam in a few minutes made himself a great
favourite.
The young immigrants waited the arrival of their host with no little
curiosity, for they knew less of him than Sam had contrived to learn. In
a short time, however, the servant, placing a tray with meat, bread, fruit,
and light wine, begged them to refresh themselves. This occupied their
time till the arrival of Mr Prentiss. Perhaps James was disappointed at
not seeing the young lady when her father entered the room. Mr
Prentiss put out his hand, cordially welcoming them to Australia and to
his house; and, begging them to make it their home during their stay, he
quickly drew out from them a statement of their plans and wishes.

"You can make a fair start," he observed. "You have the five hundred
pounds I promised, very nobly won, too; and I may give you a few
hints besides as to the purchase of stock. You will, of course, become
squatters--by far the best business for young men of enterprise and
activity. What do you say to it?"
"We should like nothing better, sir," answered James. "But--I speak
again for my brother as well as for myself--we cannot accept payment
for performing a mere act of duty; your advice and assistance may be of
the greatest value to us, and of that we will gladly avail ourselves. The
young man who helped us to stop the horses must, of course, speak for
himself."
"Well, well, I admire your independence and high feeling," answered
Mr Prentiss. "I doubt, however, that you will find many in this country
to consider that you are right; but perhaps I may be of service to you in
the way you desire. You, of course, will make my house your home
while you remain in Sydney; when you wish to commence your life in
the bush, I will send you up the country to my father and some brothers
of mine, who will put you in the way of a fair start. Your young
shipmate fairly earned a portion of the reward; he also deserves my
gratitude. He looks as if there was work in him, and to such a person I
can be permanently of use. Unhappily, numbers of men come out
here--they may be counted by hundreds or thousands--who will not
work, or who cannot work; nothing suits them. They come with
pockets full of letters, expecting first-rate situations with nothing to do.
How can such people be assisted to any advantage? Give them money,
and they squander it; place them in situations of trust, and they are
dismissed as incompetent, or they throw them up as uncongenial to
their tastes. All we want in this magnificent country are people who
will try to work, and if they do not succeed in one thing, will turn their
hands to something else. There is ample room, I say, for persons of
every possible description, provided always that they belong to the `try'
school."
Mr Prentiss insisted on taking his guests round the town to visit its
lions; and greatly surprised they were to see the wonderful progress it

had already made. "Wool has