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102 "You must wait a bit then," said Captain Macpherson. "There'd be no use in ladies trying it after the rainy season. We got bogged the other day. I'd put it off till the spring, Miss Valliant."

"Is it a promise?—in the spring?" asked Elsie, turning with a bewitching smile to Frank. "Come, I don't often ask you anything."

"Certainly, it is a promise," he answered.

"I shall keep you to it. And you, Mr. Blake, you are to be one of the party."

"I was going to suggest that you should make the expedition from our place," said Blake. "It is quite ten miles nearer, and if we are rough, Miss Valliant, we are at least picturesque."

"When is it spring?" said Elsie, with pretty imperiousness, turning to Hallett. "Please soon make it spring."

"I am afraid it can't be managed before the end of August," said Hallett, "and even then it would be cold for camping out."

"The end of August then," said Elsie. "That is settled. I look to you to square Mrs. Jem. The end of August!" she repeated. "Who knows what may have happened before then?"

Mrs. Jem had got up from the table. The men were anxious to be at the course. Outside the woolshed black boys in clean shirts and with new scarlet handkerchiefs round their waists were leading horses in side-saddles up and down. The gins and pickaninnies had come from the blacks' camp to see the start. They made impish noises and screamed out admiring remarks as the mounting went on.

"My word, Budgery that fellow!" was the exclamation that followed Elsie.

"I say, Elsie," cried a toothless, blear-eyed creature, plentifully tattooed, with a yellow bandana binding her woolly locks and an old pink tea-gown of Mrs. Jem's slung across her shoulder, "What for you got him new Benjamin? Mine think it Frank cobbon coola along of you."