Page:Banking Under Difficulties- Or Life On The Goldfields Of Victoria, New South Wales And New Zealand (1888).pdf/59

50 compared notes. The old lady laughed immoderately, in fact until the tears ran down her cheeks. Before bedtime came we were the best of friends. As I was retiring for the night I said to Mrs. H, “I must thank you for your kindness to me. I’ll wish you good-bye, as most likely I shall be away before you are up in the morning.” She would not hear of such a thing. “What; go away without breakfast? No, indeed.” So I had to promise not to go away till after breakfast. I slept on a feather bed in an old-fashioned four-poster, and had a companion in the shape of a man; a sawny sort of a fellow, who was introduced to me as Mr. Somebody. I forget his name. He was nominally a tutor, but in reality a Jack-of-all-trades. He told me the H’s were very ordinary sort of people, and had made their money by publichouse keeping, and that she “wore the breeches,” I did not half like the idea of sleeping with this man, who was a dirty-looking fellow; however, there was no help for it. The bed was large, and I gave him a wide berth. Next morning I breakfasted, thanked Mrs. H for her hospitality, and then made a start. I soon overtook two men I had met the day before; they were travelling in the same direction as myself, so I stuck to then the whole day till I arrived at Bombala, having travelled, I should say, about twenty miles. I put up at the Rose, Shamrock, and Thistle, kept by C. Kyle, where I had a good tea, and on the whole very fair accommodation. When I awoke next morning the rain was pattering on the roof; however, I made up my mind to jog on rain or no rain, I started immediately after breakfast, and had gone about a couple of miles when I found I had lost the track. I then turned back and met a stockman, who put me on the right road. I jogged along till about twelve o’clock, when I came to B’s station. I got off, asked for Mr. B, and was informed that he was in the garden, but would be up directly. Just then a bell rang, and I saw a dinner carried into the house, and a very substantial looking one too. I thought to myself “I’m just in time, Mr. B is sure to ask me to dinner.” Presently Mr. B made his appearance. I introduced myself, told him where I was going, and that I had called to get some information about the road. This he gave me, but not a word about dinner. I thanked him and retired. If ever I was “sold” it was in this instance. Away I went, and rode on some few miles till I came to a hut; it was at this time four o’clock, with every appearance of rain. I saw a man and asked him how far it was to the next accommodation-house. “Eight miles,” was the reply. Such being the case, night coming on, with every indication of a wet one, and there being no track, I asked whether he could give me a “shake-down” for the night. “Impossible,” said he; “I have a wife and six children, and we have only two small rooms; I cannot accommodate you.” I got all the information I could from him as to the route I should take, and was just