"He's hopeful," Hardress said, laughing. "Particularly as we never started the car at all--he made me learn everything I could about it first. And did he tell you I rode Brecon?"

"No! How did you get on?" asked Norah delightedly.

"Well, I literally got on very badly--at first. The shop leg didn't seem to understand what was wanted of it at all, and any steed but Brecon would have strongly resented me. But he stood in a pensive att.i.tude while I tried all sorts of experiments. In fact, I think he went to sleep!"

"I told you you could rely on Brecon," Norah smiled. "What happened then?"

"Oh--I got used to myself, and found out the knack of getting on.

It's not hard, with a steady horse, once you find out how. But I think Brecon will do me very well for awhile."

"Oh, we'll soon get you on to Brunette," Norah said. "You'd enjoy her."

"Is that the black pony?"

"Yes--and she's a lovely hack. I'm going to hunt her in the winter: she jumps like a deer."

"She looked a beauty, in the stable," Hardress said. "She ought to make a good polo-pony." He sighed. "I wonder if I'll really ever play polo again."

"Of course you will," Norah told him. "This morning you didn't think you would ever get on a horse again."

"No, I certainly didn't. You have put an extraordinary amount of hope into me: I feel a different being." He stopped, and a smile crept into his eyes. "Listen--aren't your friends having a time!"

"Life must be so exciting on your great cattle ranches," Mrs. West was saying. "And the dear little woolly lambs on the farms--such pets!"

"We understood you people over here prefer them frozen," Blake said gently. "So we send 'em that way."

Norah choked over her tea. She became aware that Colonel West was speaking to her, and tried to command her wits--hearing, as she turned, Mrs. West's shrill pipe--"And what _is_ a wheat-belt? Is it something you wear?" Norah would have given much to hear Blake's reply.

"Delightful place you have here!" barked the Colonel. "Your father and I have been spending an agricultural afternoon; planning all the things he means to do on that farm--Hawkins', isn't it? But I suppose you don't take much interest in that sort of thing? Dances and frocks more in your line--and chocolates, eh, what?"

"Then you've changed her in England," said Harry Trevor suddenly. "Is it dances now, Norah? No more quick things over the gra.s.s after a cross-grained bullock? Don't say you've forgotten how to use a stockwhip!"

"It's hung up at Billabong," Norah said laughing. "But you wait until I get back to it, that's all!"

"Dear me!" said Mrs. West. "And you do these wonderful things too! I always longed to do them as a girl--to ride over long leagues of plain on a fiery mustang, among your lovely eucalyptus trees. And do you really go out with the cowboys, and use a la.s.so?"

"She does," said Harry, happily.

"Your wild animals, too," said Mrs. West. "It's kangaroos you ride down with spears, is it not? And wallabies. We live in dear, quiet little England, but we read all about your wonderful life, and are oh!

so interested."

"What a life!" said d.i.c.k Harrison, under his breath.

"Quite. You know, I had a great friend who went out as A.D.C. to one of your Governors. He had to return after a month, because his father died and he came into the baronetcy, but some day he means to write a book on Australia. That is why I have always, as it were, kept in touch with your great country. I seem to know it so well, though I have never seen it."

"You do, indeed," said Blake gravely. "I wish we knew half as much about yours."

"Ah, but you must let us show it to you. Is it not yours, too?

Outposts of Empire: that is what I call you: outposts of Empire. Is it not that that brought you to fight under our flag?"

"Oh, rather," said Blake vaguely. "But a lot of us just wanted a look in at the fun!"

"Well--you got a good deal for a start," said Garrett.

"Yes--Abdul gave us all we wanted on his little peninsula. But he's not a bad fighting-man, old Abdul; we don't mind how often we take tea with him. He's a better man to fight than Fritz."

"He could pretty easily be that," Garrett said. "It's one of the worst grudges we owe Fritz--that he's taken all the decency out of war. It used to be a man's game, but the Boche made it one according to his own ideas--and everybody knows what they are."

"Yes," said Hardress. "I suppose the Boche will do a good deal of crawling to get back among decent people after the war; but he'll never live down his poison-gas and flame-throwers."

"And wouldn't it have been a gorgeous old war if he'd only fought clean!" said Garrett longingly. They drew together and talked as fighting men will--veterans in the ways of war, though the eldest was not much over one-and-twenty.

The sudden hoot of a motor came from the drive, far-off; and then another, and another.

"Some one's joy-riding," said Harry Trevor.

The hooting increased, and with it the hum of a racing car. The gravel outside the porch crunched as it drew up; and then came cheery voices, and two long figures in great coats dashed in: Jim and Wally, eager-eyed.

"Dad! Norah! Where's old Harry?"

But Harry was grasping a hand of each, and submitting to mighty pats on the back from their other hands.

"By Jove, it's great to see you! Where did you come from, you old reprobate? Finished Johnny Turk?"

Gradually the boys became aware that there were other people in the hall, and made apologies--interrupted by another burst of joy at discovering Garrett.

"You must think us bears," said Jim, with his disarming smile, to Mrs.

West. "But we hadn't seen Trevor for years, and he's a very old chum.

It would have been exciting to meet him in Australia; but in England--well!"

"However did you manage to come?" Norah asked, beaming.

"Oh, we got leave. We've been good boys--at least, Wally was until we got your message this morning. Since then he has been wandering about like a lost fowl, murmuring, 'Harry! _My_ Harry!'"

"Is it me?" returned Wally. "Don't believe him, Nor--it was all I could do to keep him from slapping the C.O. on the back and borrowing his car to come over."

"I don't doubt it," Norah laughed. "Whose car did you borrow, by the way?"

"Oh, we hired one. It was extravagant, but we agreed that it wasn't every day we kill a pig!"

"Thank you," said Harry. "Years haven't altered your power of putting a thing nicely!" He smote Wally affectionately. "I say, you were a kid when I saw you last: a kid in knickerbockers. And look at you now!"

"Well, you were much the same," Wally retorted. "And now you're a hardened old warrior--I've only played at it so far."

"But you were ga.s.sed, weren't you?"

"Yes--but we hadn't had much war before they ga.s.sed us. That was the annoying part."