A Little Bush Maid, Page 3

  CHAPTER III. A MENAGERIE RACE

  The first time that Jim returned from school was for the Easterholidays.

  He brought a couple of mates with him--boys from New South Wales andQueensland, Harry Trevor and Walter Meadows. Harry was a little olderthan Jim--a short, thick-set lad, very fair and solemn, withexpressionless grey eyes, looking out beneath a shock of flaxen hair.Those who knew him not said that he was stupid. Those who knew him saidthat you couldn't tell old Harry much that he didn't know. Those whoknew him very well said that you could depend on Trevor to his lastgasp. Jim loved him--and there were few people Jim loved.

  Walter--or Wally--Meadows was a different type; long and thin forfourteen, burnt to almost Kaffir darkness; a wag of a boy, with merrybrown eyes, and a temperament unable to be depressed for more than fiveminutes at a time. He was always in scrapes at school, but a greatfavourite with masters and boys notwithstanding; and he straightway laidhis boyish heart down at Norah's feet, and was her slave from the firstday they met.

  Norah liked them both. She had been desperately afraid that they wouldtry to take Jim away from her, and was much relieved to find that theywelcomed her cheerfully into their plans. They were good riders, and thefour had splendid gallops over the plains after hares. Also they admiredBobs fervently, and that was always a passport to Norah's heart.

  It was on the third day of their visit, and they were making the morninground of the pets, when a brilliant idea came to Wally.

  "Let's have a menagerie race!" he cried suddenly.

  "What's that?" Norah asked blankly.

  "Why, you each drive an animal," explained Wally, the words tumblingover one another in his haste. "Say you drive the kangaroo, 'n me thewallabies, 'n Jim the Orpington rooster, 'n we'll give old Harry thetortoise--turloise, I beg pardon!"

  "Thanks," said Harry dryly. "The tortoise scored once, you know, youngWally!"

  "Well, old man, you take him," Wally said kindly. "Wouldn't stand inyour way for a moment. We can use harness, can't we?"

  "Don't know," Jim said. "I never studied the rules of menagerie racing.Use bridles, anyhow. It's a good idea, I think. Let's see how manystarters we can muster."

  They cruised round. Dogs were barred as being too intelligent--horseswere, of course, out of the question. Finally they fixed on the possiblecandidates. They were the kangaroo, the wallabies, a big black Orpington"rooster," Fudge the parrot, Caesar the cockatoo, Mrs. Brown's big yellowcat, Tim, and the "turloise."

  "Eight," said Harry laconically. The starters were all mustered in oneenclosure, and were on the worst of terms. "We'll need more jockeys--ifyou call 'em jockeys."

  "Well, there's black Billy," Jim said; "he's available, and he'll drivewhichever he's told, and that's a comfort. That's five. And we'll rouseout old Lee Wing, and Hogg, that's a ripping idea, 'cause they hate eachother so. Seven. Who's eight? Oh, I know! We'll get Mrs. Brown."

  Mrs. Brown was accordingly bearded in her den and, protesting vigorouslythat she had no mind for racing, haled forth into the open. She was ahuge woman, as good-natured as she was fat, which said a good deal. Inher print dress, with enormous white apron and flapping sun bonnet, shelooked as unlikely a "jockey" as could be imagined.

  Lee Wing, discovered in the onion bed, was presently brought to thescratch, despite his protests. He said he "couldn't lun," but was toldthat in all probability no running would be required of him. He alsosaid "no can dlive" many times, and further remarked, "Allee same gleatbosh." When he saw his arch enemy Hogg among the competitors hisresentment was keen, and Wally was told off to restrain him from flight.Wally's own idea was to tie him up by the pigtail, but this Jim wasprudent enough to forbid.

  Hogg was, as Jim put it, rooting amongst the roses, and grunted freelyon his way to the post. He could never refuse Norah anything, but thisproceeding was much beneath his dignity, and the sight of Lee Wing didnot tend to improve his view of the matter. He stood aloof, with a cold,proud smile, like a hero of melodrama.

  Black Billy was, of course, in the stables, and came with alacrity. Hehad not much English and that little was broken, but he worshipped theLinton children--Jim especially, and would obey him with theunquestioning obedience of a dog.

  "All here?" asked Jim, looking round. "Five, six, eight--that's allserene. Now who's going to drive who?"

  Opinions on that point were mixed. Every one wanted the kangaroo, and atlast a general vote gave him to Norah. Wally chose one Wallaby. He saidit was only natural, and made a further remark about the feelings of theothers when "Wally and his wallaby should wallow by them" that washappily quenched by Harry, who adopted the simple plan of sitting on theorator. Harry secured the second wallaby, and black Billy was given theOrpington rooster as his steed. Mrs. Brown from the first applied forthe tortoise. She said it meant less exertion, and she preferred to beslow and sure, without any risk of over-work. Hogg chose the yellow cat,Tim, and Lee Wing was given Caesar, the cockatoo.

  "Leaving old Fudge for me," Jim said ruefully. "What sort of a chance doyou think I've got? Never mind, I'm used to being suppressed."

  "Good for you," observed Harry. "Now, how about harness?"

  "Well, we'll leave that to individual taste," Jim said. "Here's a ballof string, and there are plenty of light straps. Mrs. Brown--you're theleading lady. How shall I harness your prancing steed for you?"

  "You will have your joke, Master Jim," retorted Mrs. Brown, bridling andbeaming. "Now, I don't think I'll harness my poor beastie at all. Giveme a couple of sticks to keep his head the right way and to poke himgently, and we'll beat you all yet!"

  Norah and the two boys fixed up fearful and wonderful harness for theirnominations--collars of straps, and long string headpieces and reins.The animals objected strongly to being harnessed, and the process wasmost entertaining. Mrs. Brown was particularly appreciative, and atlength in a paroxysm of mirth narrowly escaped sitting down on thetortoise.

  Black Billy's harness was not extensive. He tied a string round theblack Orpington's leg, and retired to the stable for a few minutes,returning with a bulging pocket, the contents of which he did notcommunicate. Hogg did not attempt to bit and bridle the yellow cat,which was much annoyed at the whole proceeding. Instead he fixed up acollar and traces of string, and chose a long cane, more, he said, forpurposes of defence than for anything else. Lee Wing and Jim harnessedtheir steeds in the same way--with a long string tied to each leg.

  "All ready?" Jim queried. "Toe the line!"

  The course was across a small paddock near the house--a distance ofabout thirty yards--and the competitors were ranged up with no littledifficulty. Luckily, the line was a wide one, admitting of considerablespace between each starter, or the send-off might have been inextricablyconfused. However, they were all arranged at last, and Jim, in astentorian voice, gave the word to "Go."

  As the signal was given, the drivers urged on their steeds according totheir judgment, and with magnificent results.

  First to get off the line were the wallabies and the kangaroo. Theyfled, each his several way, and after them went their drivers, in greathaste. The kangaroo had all the best of the start. So remarkable was hisbound that he twitched his reins quite out of Norah's hands, and madefor the fence of the paddock. It was an open one, which let him througheasily. The wallabies, seeing his shining success, followed his course,and midway managed to entangle their reins, at which Wally and Harrywere wildly hauling. Confusion became disorder, and the wallabies atlength reduced themselves to a tangle, out of which they had to beassisted by means of Harry's pocket knife.

  Jim had no luck. The parrot went off well, but very soon seemed toregret his rashness and, despite all Jim's endeavours, returned withsolemnity to the start, where he paused and talked fluently in the mixedlanguage that was all his own. In desperation Jim tried to pull himalong, but Fudge simply walked round and round him, until he hadexhausted his driver's patience, and was "turned out."

  The most spirited of the competitors were decidedly the cockat
oo andTim. They were panting for each other's blood from the start, and beforethey had been urged over a quarter of the way they found an opportunityof warfare, and seized it simultaneously. Then the air grew murky withsound--cockatoo shrieks, mingled with cat calls and fluent Chinese,cutting across Hogg's good, broad Scots. Naturally, the strings of theharness became fatally twisted immediately, and soon the combatants werebound together with a firmness which not all the efforts of theirdrivers could undo. A sudden movement of the pair made Lee Wing springback hastily, whereupon he tripped and stumbled violently against Hogg.

  Hogg's temper was at vanishing point, and this was the last straw.

  "Ye pig-tailed image!" he exclaimed furiously. Drawing back, he aimed ablow at Lee Wing, which would have effectively put that gentle Mongolianout of the race had he not dodged quickly. He shouted something in hisown language, which was evidently of no complimentary nature, and hurledhimself like a yellow tornado upon the angry Scotsman. They struck outat each other with all possible ill-will, but their science was muchimpeded by the fact that the cat and cockatoo were fighting fiercelyamongst their legs. Finally Lee Wing tripped over Tim, and sat downabruptly, receiving as he did so an impassioned peck from Caesar whichelicited from him a loud yell of anguish. Hogg, attempting to follow uphis advantage, was checked suddenly by Jim, who left his parrot to itsown devices, and arrived on the scene at full gallop.

  "You are a blessed pair of duffers!" said Jim wrathfully. "Look here, iffather catches you fighting there'll be the most awful row--and I'll bein it too, what's worse. Clear out, for goodness' sake, before he comesalong, and don't get in each others' road again!" and each nursingbitterness in his heart, the rival gardeners returned to theirrespective beds of roses and onions.

  Left to their own devices, the yellow cat and the cockatoo departedalso, in a turmoil of wrath, with fur and feathers flying in equalproportions. Eventually Tim found discretion the better part of valourand scurried away to the safe shelter of the kitchen, pursued by Caesarwith loud shrieks of defiance and victory--sounds of joyful triumphwhich lasted long after he had regained his perch and been securelyfastened by the leg with his hated chain.

  Black Billy, meanwhile, had paid strict attention to business. Thevagaries of wallabies and kangaroo, of cat and parrot and cockatoo, hadno attraction for the dusky leader of the big black Orpington rooster.

  The Orpington--Jonah, Norah called him--was not inclined to race. He hadtugged furiously at his leg rope, with much outcry and indignation,until Billy, finding himself alone, owing to the eccentric behaviour ofthe other starters, had resorted to different tactics by no means devoidof native cunning. Slackening the line, he suddenly produced from hispocket a few grains of wheat, and spread them temptingly before Jonah.

  Now Jonah was a tame bird. He was accustomed to being handled, and hadonly been indignant at the disgrace of bonds. This new departure wassomething he understood; so he gobbled up the wheat with alacrity andlooked up inquiringly for more.

  "Right oh!" said Bffly, retiring a few steps down the track and bringingout another grain. Jonah sprang after it, and then was dazzled with theview of two lying yet a few yards farther off. So, feeding and coaxing,black Billy worked his unsuspecting steed across the little paddock.

  No one was near when he reached the winning post, to which he promptlytied Jonah, and, his purpose being accomplished, and no need of furtherbribery being necessary, sat down beside him and meditatively began tochew the remainder of his wheat. Jonah looked indignant, and poked roundafter more grains, an attention which Billy met with jeers and continuedheartless mastication, until the Orpington gave up the quest in disgust,and retired to the limit of his tether. Billy sat quietly, withsteadfast glittering eyes twinkling in his dusky face.

  "Hallo!" It was Jim's voice. "Where are all the rest? D'you mean to sayyou're the only one to get here?"

  Billy grinned silently.

  Sounds of mirth floated over the grass, and Norah, Harry and Wally racedup.

  "Where are your mokes?" queried Jim.

  "The good knights are dust, Their mokes are rust,"

  misquoted Wally cheerfully.

  "We don't know, bless you. Cleared out, harness and all. We'll have awallaby and kangaroo hunt after this. Who's won?"

  "Billy," said Jim, indicating that sable hero. "In a common walk. Fedhim over. All right, now, Billy, you catch-um kangaroo, wallaby--d'youhear?"

  Billy showed a set of amazingly white teeth in a broad grin, anddeparted swiftly and silently.

  "Where's Lee Wing?"

  "Had to tear him off Hogg!" Jim grinned. "You never saw such a shindy.They've retired in bad order."

  "Where's Fudge?"

  "Left at the post!"

  "Where's Mrs. Brown--and the tortoise?"

  "Great Scott!" Jim looked round blankly. "That never occurred to me.Where is she, I wonder?"

  The course was empty.

  "Tortoise got away with her!" laughed Wally.

  "H'm," said Jim. "We'll track her to her lair."

  In her lair--the kitchen--Mrs. Brown was discovered, modestly hidingbehind the door. The tortoise was on the table, apparently cheerful.

  "Poor dear pet!" said Mrs. Brown. "He wouldn't run. I don't think he wasawake to the situation, Master Jim, dear, so I just carried him over--Ididn't think it mattered which way I ran--and my scones were in theoven! They're just out--perhaps you'd all try them?"--thisinsinuatingly. "I don't think this tortoise comes of a racingfamily!"--and the great menagerie race concluded happily in the kitchenin what Wally called "a hot buttered orgy."