at once undertaken.

Two days before the expected arrival, all hands set to work in the
arduous and unavailing endeavour to render the shanty approximately
clean and respectable. Such a turn out as that was! Such an unlooked
for bringing to light of things that must be nameless! We broomed and we
scrubbed, we washed and we sluiced, we even tinkered and mended, we
cleaned and we swore, and made our lives temporarily miserable; and yet,
with all this, how grimy, and dirty, and mean, and wretched, that shanty
of ours would continue to look!

Never had our household property been subjected to such a cleaning up as
that was. Gradually some order was introduced into the chaos, and at
last we began to think we should convey a favourable impression after
all. But our chief concern was in the matter of table equipage.

One of us was sent over to the township, with orders to beg, borrow, or
steal, all the crockery and table-cutlery in the place. Another was
dispatched on horseback through the bush somewhere else, and on the same
errand, that something like proper table furniture might grace the
feast. Then our wardrobe underwent inspection. Some one had to go over
to the township and buy new shirts for all of us, with several pairs of
trousers, and other things. O'Gaygun stormed and wept at this outrage;
but our boss was firm for the proprieties, as he estimated them. The
worst of it was, we had to contemplate frightful expenditure. And more,
it was humiliating that our previous condition should be made known to
the Mayor, who, with his wife, were to be among our guests. But, what
matter? The Mayor is a good fellow, and a friend; and what can be too
great a sacrifice to make for England, Home, and Beauty!--especially the
last.

We all had our tasks. There was the path between the shanty and the
landing-place to be put in proper condition; various muddy places in it
to be covered with fascines; a certain watercourse we were in the habit
of jumping to be newly-bridged, and so forth. Then there was the
catering. Two of us were out with guns, shooting turkeys, pheasants,
pigeons, fowls, and anything else that was eatable. Others were
butchering the fairest and fattest pig in our drove, and doing the same
by a lamb. Two were out on the river diligently fishing, or collecting
oysters and cockles. Some, too, were employed in the garden, picking
fruit, gathering vegetables, and so forth, and so on.

All day and all night the stove w