the people who had flocked to welcome the "diggers" home. The
Rainhams found themselves adopted by this new and cheery band of
people--at least half of whose names they never learned; not that this
seemed to matter in the least. It was something new to them, and very
un-English; but there was no doubt that it made landing in a new country
a very different thing from their half-fearful anticipations.

"And you really came out all alone--not knowing anyone!" said an aunt.
"Aren't you English people plucky! And I believe that most of you think
we're all black fellows--or did until our diggers went home, and proved
unexpectedly white!"

"I don't think we're quite so bad as that!" Bob said, laughing. "But
certainly we never expected quite so kind a welcome."

"Oh, we're all immensely interested in people who take the trouble to
come across the world to see us," said Mrs. Geoffrey Linton. "That is,
if they don't put on 'side'; we don't take kindly to being patronized.
And you have no idea how many new chums do patronize us. Did you know,
by the way, that you're new chums now?"

"It has been carefully drilled into us on the ship," Bob said gravely.
"I think we know pretty well all we have to face--the snakes that creep
into new chums' boots and sleep under their pillows, the goannas that
bite our toes if we aren't watchful, and the mosquitoes that sit on the
trees and bark!"

"Also the tarantulas that drop from everywhere, especially into food,"
added Tommy, dimpling. "And the bush fires every Sunday morning, and the
blacks that rush down--what is it? Oh yes, the Block, casting boomerangs
about! There is much spare time on a troopship, Mrs. Linton, and all of
it was employed by the subalterns in telling us what we might expect!"

"I can quite imagine it," Mrs. Geoffrey laughed. "Oh well, Billabong
will be a good breaking-in. Norah tells me you are going up there at
once?"

"Well, not quite at once," Bob said. "We think it is only fair to let
them get home without encumbrances, and as we have to present other
letters of introduction in Melbourne, we'll stay here for a few days,
and then follow them."

"Then you must come out to us," said Mrs. Geoffrey firmly. "No use to
ask my brother-in-law, of course; he has just one idea, and that is to
stay at Scott's, get his luggage through the customs, see his bankers as
quickly as possible, and then get back to his beloved Billabong. If we
get them out to dinner to-night, it's