His back was toward them, and as they approached he looked round sourly, but his black face relaxed, and he grinned good-humouredly again, as he pointed to the cooking going on.

"Plenty budgery," he cried. "Come eat lot 'long Shanter."

But the boys said "No." The grubs were tempting, but the carpet-snake was not; so Shanter had it all to himself, eating till Rifle laughed, and said that he must be like india-rubber, else he could never have held so much.

CHAPTER TWELVE.

A REAL EXPEDITION.

The Dingo Station never looked more beautiful than it did one glorious January morning as the boys were making their preparations for an expedition into the scrub. The place had been chosen for its attractiveness in the first instance, and two years hard work had made it a home over which Uncle Munday used to smile as he gazed on his handiwork in the shape of flowering creepers--Bougainvillea and Rinkasporum--running up the front, and hiding the rough wood, or over the fences; the garden now beginning to be wonderfully attractive, and adding to the general home-like aspect of the place; while the captain rubbed his hands as he gazed at his rapidly-growing prosperity, and asked wife and daughters whether they had not done well in coming out to so glorious a land.

They all readily agreed, for they had grown used to their active, busy life, and were quite content, the enjoyment of vigorous health in a fine climate compensating for the many little pleasures of civilised life which they had missed at first. The timidity from which they had suffered had long since pa.s.sed away; and though in quiet conversations, during the six early months of their sojourn, mother and daughter and niece had often talked of how much pleasanter it would have been if the captain had made up his mind to sell his property and go close up to some settlement, such thoughts were rare now; and, as Aunt Georgie used to say:

"Of course, my dears, I did at one time think it very mad to come right out here, but I said to myself, Edward is acting for the best, and it is our duty to help him, and I'm very glad we came; for at home I used often to say to myself, 'I'm getting quite an old woman now, and at the most I can't live above another ten years.' While now I don't feel a bit old, and I shall be very much disappointed if I don't live another twenty or five-and-twenty years. For you see, my dears, there is so much to do."

And now, on this particular morning, the boys were busy loading up a st.u.r.dy, useful horse with provisions for an excursion into the scrub.

Sam German had left his gardening to help to get their horses ready; and full of importance, in a pair of clean white drawers, Shanter was marching up and down looking at the preparations being made, in a way that suggested his being lord of the whole place.

All ready at last, and mounted. Mrs Bedford, Aunt Georgie, and the girls had come out to see them off, and the captain and Uncle Jack were standing by the fence to which the packhorse was. .h.i.tched.

"Got everything, boys?" said the captain.

"Yes, father; I think so."

"Flint and steel and tinder?"

"Oh yes."

"Stop!" cried the captain. "I'm sure you've forgotten something."

"No, father," said Rifle. "I went over the things too, and so did Tim.

Powder, shot, bullets, knives, damper iron, hatchets, tent-cloth."

"I know," cried Aunt Georgie. "I thought they would. No extra blankets."

"Yes, we have, aunt," cried Tim, laughing.

"Then you have no sticking-plaster."

"That we have, aunt, and bits of linen rag, and needles and thread. You gave them to me," said Rifle. "I think we have everything we ought to carry."

"No," said the captain; "there is something else."

"They've forgotten the tea," cried Hetty, merrily.

"No. Got more than we want," cried Rifle.

"Sugar, then," said Ida. "No; I mean salt."

"Wrong again, girls," cried Norman. "We've got plenty of everything, and only want to start off--How long can you do without us, father?"

"Oh," said the captain, good-humouredly, "you are an idle lot. I don't want you. Say six months."

"Edward, my dear!" exclaimed Mrs Bedford, in alarm.

"Well then, say a fortnight. Fourteen days, boys, and if you are not back then, we shall be uneasy, and come in search of you."

"Come now, father," cried Rifle, laughing. "I say, I do wish you would."

"Nothing I should enjoy better, my boy," said the captain. "This place makes me feel full of desire adventure."

"Then come," cried Norman. "It would be grand. You come too, Uncle Jack;" but that gentleman shook his head as did his brother.

"And pray who is to protect your mother and sisters and aunt, eh?" said the captain. "No; go and have your jaunt, and as soon as you cross the range mark down any good site for stations."

"Oh, Edward dear," cried Mrs Bedford, "you will not go farther into the wilderness?"

"No," he said, smiling; "but it would be pleasant to be able to tell some other adventurer where to go."

"I know what they've forgotten," said Ida, mischievously, and on purpose--"soap."

"Wrong again, Miss Clever," cried Norman. "We've got everything but sailing orders. Good-bye all."

"You will take care, my dears," cried Mrs Bedford, who looked pale and anxious.

"Every care possible, mother dear," cried the lad, affectionately; "and if Tim and Rifle don't behave themselves, I'll give 'em ramrod and kicks till they do.--Now, father, Tam o' Shanter's looking back again. Shall we start?"

"You've forgotten something important."

"No, father, we haven't, indeed."

"You talked about sailing orders, and you are going to start off into the wilds where there isn't a track. Pray, where is your compa.s.s?"

"There he is, father," cried Rifle, merrily; "yonder in white drawers."

"A very valuable one, but you can't go without one that you can put in your pocket. What did we say last night about being lost in the bush?"

"Forgot!" cried Norman, after searching his pockets. "Have you got it, Tim?"

Tim put his hand in his pocket, and shook his head.

"Have you, Rifle?"

"No."

"Of course he has not," said the captain; "and it is the most important thing of your outfit.