is that it? _We_ don't mind."

"Don't we? Well, we do," Bobby retorted. "It's Dickson who keeps
loafing round. Here, go on," he added, as, turning his horse round, he
hit Dickson's with a switch across the flank.

The horse plunged forward, and by the time its rider had it checked he
was well ahead, with Nellie close at his heels.

"I'm not going to stand much of this, I can tell you," she exclaimed, as
she came beside him. "If you think you're going to play with me as you
like, you're mistaken. You treat me properly or I'll tell your mother
all about----"

"You're always grumbling. I never saw such a girl," he interrupted.

"I'm not grumbling. I suppose you thought you'd trick me, and let
Ailleen think I'd never been on the station before. Well, you see, you
made a mistake. I shall tell her all about it. You know what you said
and promised. If I tell Bobby he'll kill you, see if he won't."

The watery eyes were shifting rapidly from one side to the other, for
there were many things which had occurred between him and Nellie about
which he was by no means anxious Ailleen, least of any one, should know.
But Nellie had a temper, and was somewhat prone to spiteful
retaliations, and, without counting the cost to herself, might say
enough to make the immediate future rather unsettled, if not actually
painful, to him.

"You _are_ jealous," he mumbled. "I never saw such a girl. You think
every other girl can cut you out by looking at me. You don't seem to
think I've got eyes. I couldn't help it if I met her when I hurried to
meet you. Why didn't you say you were going straight to the lagoon? You
always came by the township road before. I didn't know."

It was a tone and a line of argument that had served him well on
previous occasions when Nellie's temper had become ruffled; and if one
dose were not enough, he was prepared to administer a second, and even a
third, so long as his latest chance were not jeopardized by a disclosure
which he knew would be fatal to him.

"I don't believe you," she replied, with an upward glance at him.

He met her glance and smiled, just as he did when Ailleen's switch fell
across his hand. Nellie only looked up at him when she was mollified,
and he was satisfied that the storm was over for the time being. But he
did not attempt to fall back or wait for the others till the slip-rails
leading into the home paddock were reached.

The station homestead was in view from the slip-rails, a lon