ome
with us. He'd got regular sunburnt like us, and, as he could ride a bit,
like most natives, he looked better outside of a horse than on his own
legs, being rather thick-set and shortish; but his heart was in the
right place, like his sister's, and his head was screwed on right, too.
I think more of old George now than I ever did before, and wish I'd had
the sense to value his independent straight-ahead nature, and the track
it led him, as he deserved.

Jim and I rode in front, with Gracey between us. She had on a neat habit
and a better hat and gloves than Aileen, but nothing could ever give her
the seat and hand and light, easy, graceful way with her in the saddle
that our girl had. All the same she could ride and drive too, and as we
rode side by side in the twilight, talking about the places I'd been to,
and she wanting to know everything (Jim drew off a bit when the road got
narrow), I felt what a fool I'd been to let things slide, and would have
given my right hand to have been able to put them as they were three
short years before.

At last we got to the Gap; it was the shortest halt from their home.
George shook hands with Aileen, and turned back.

'We'll come and see you next----' he said.

'Christmas Eve!' said Aileen.

'Christmas Eve let it be,' says George.

'All right,' I said, holding Grace's hand for a bit. And so we
parted--for how long, do you think?

Chapter 16

When we got home it was pretty late, and the air was beginning to cool
after the hot day. There was a low moon, and everything showed out
clear, so that you could see the smallest branches of the trees on Nulla
Mountain, where it stood like a dark cloud-bank against the western sky.
There wasn't the smallest breeze. The air was that still and quiet you
could have heard anything stir in the grass, or almost a 'possum digging
his claws into the smooth bark of the white gum trees. The curlews set
up a cry from time to time; but they didn't sound so queer and shrill as
they mostly do at night. I don't know how it was, but everything seemed
quiet and pleasant and homelike, as if a chap might live a hundred
years, if it was all like this, and keep growing better and happier
every day. I remember all this so particular because it was the only
time I'd felt like it for years, and I never had the same feeling
afterwards--nor likely to.

'Oh! what a happy day I've had,' Aileen said, on a sudden. Jim and I and
her had been riding