lbourne suburb as
if you were going into the wilds of West Africa. They haven't any
conscience."

"They just never learn geography," said Norah. "And 'the Colonies' to
them mean exactly the same thing, no matter in what continent the colony
may be. If they can sell pioneers tinware to take out to Melbourne, so
much the better for them. Well, I must see Brownie, or there may not be
early breakfast for pioneers or any one else."

Brownie rose to the occasion--there had never been any known occasion
to which Brownie did not rise--and the hospital at Cunjee was still
grappling with early morning problems next day when the Billabong motor
pulled up at the door, after a flying visit to the new home--which
Tommy, regarding with the large eye of faith, had declared to be full of
boundless possibilities. Dr. Anderson came out to meet the new-comers,
Norah and Tommy, neat and workmanlike; Jim, bearing their luggage; and
Mr. Linton and Bob sharing a large humper, into which Brownie had packed
everything eatable she could find--and Brownie's capacity for finding
things eatable at short notice was one of her most astonishing traits.
The little doctor, harassed as he was, greeted them with a twinkle.

"You Lintons generally appear bearing your sheaves with you," he said.
"Well, you're very welcome. How many of you do I keep?"

"Tommy and Norah, for certain," said Mr. Linton. "And as many more of us
as you please. Want us all, doctor?"

"Well, I really don't; there are a good many men volunteers. But if
I might commandeer the car and a driver for a few hours, I should be
glad," the doctor went on. "There are some cases to be brought in
from Mardale and Clinthorpe. I heard of them only this morning, on the
telephone, and I was wondering how to get them in."

"We're at your disposal, and you've only to telephone for us or the car
whenever you want it," said Mr. Linton. "How are things this morning?"

"Oh--bad enough. We have several very troublesome cases; people simply
won't give in soon enough. My youngsters are very ill, but I'm not
really worried about them as long as my wife keeps up. Our biggest
trouble is that our cook here went down this morning. She told me she
couldn't sleep a wink all night, and when she woke up in the morning
her tongue was sticking to the roof of her head!--and certainly she has
temperature enough for any strange symptoms. But we feel rather as if
the bottom had dropped out of the universe, for none