ands will be very useful.
They will learn a good deal as to our ways here in the course of a
month, and, as you say, it would be far better for them to be at work
than to be loafing about the place doing nothing."

Accordingly, the next morning the two Grimstones went up country and set
to work.

CHAPTER IX.

THE NEW ZEALAND WAR.

For a few days the greater part of the passengers who had arrived by the
_Flying Scud_ remained in Wellington. Mr. Atherton and the two Allens
had put up at the same hotel. The latter intended to go out as shepherds
or in any other capacity on a farm, for a few months at any rate, before
investing in land. They had two or three letters of introduction to
residents in Wellington, and ten days after the arrival of the ship they
called at the Renshaws' to say good-bye, as they had arranged to go for
some months with a settler up the country. They promised to write
regularly to Wilfrid and tell him all about the part to which they were
going.

"Mr. Atherton has promised to write to us," they said, "and tell us
about the districts he visits with you, and if you and he discover
anything particularly inviting we shall at any rate come and see you, if
you will give us an invitation when you are settled, and look round
there before buying land anywhere else. It would be very pleasant to be
somewhere near you and him."

"We shall be very glad, indeed, to see you," Mrs. Renshaw said; "still
more glad if you take up a piece of ground near us. Having friends near
is a very great point in such a life as this, and it would be most
agreeable having a sort of little colony of our own."

"We should have liked very much," James Allen said, "to say good-bye to
the Miss Mitfords, but as we do not know their father and mother it
might seem strange for us to call there."

"I do not think they are at all people to stand on ceremony," Mrs.
Renshaw said; "but I will put on my bonnet and go round with you at once
if you like."

This was accordingly done. Mr. Mitford had heard of the young men as
forming part of the little group of passengers on board the _Flying
Scud_, and gave them a hearty invitation to pay him a visit if they
happened to be in his neighbourhood, and the next day they started for
the farm on which they had engaged themselves. Two days later there was
a general break up of the party, for Mr. and Mrs. Mitford started with
their daughters in a steamer bound to Hawke Bay.

"Will you