ou're in the way.
We must put a cheerful face on the matter, and not frighten the women.
I have bought such a beautiful brace of pistols in Sydney. I hope I may
never have the chance to use them in this country. Why, there's Cecil
Mayford and Mrs. Buckley coming down the garden, and Charley Hawker,
too. Why, Major, you've got all the world here to welcome us."

The young men were soon busy discussing the merits of Jim's new horse,
and examining with great admiration his splendid new pistols. Charley
Hawker, poor boy! made a mental resolution to go to Sydney, and also
come back with a new grey horse, and a pair of pistols more resplendent
than Jim's. And then they went in to get ready for dinner.

When Jim unpacked his valise, he produced a pretty bracelet for his
sister, and a stockwhip for Sam. On the latter article he was very
eloquent.

"Sam, my boy," said he, "there is not such another in the country. It
was made by the celebrated Bill Mossman of the Upper Hunter, the
greatest swearer at bullocks, and the most accomplished whipmaker on
the Sydney side. He makes only one in six months, and he makes it a
favour to let you have it for five pounds. You can take a piece of bark
off a blue gum, big enough for a canoe, with one cut of it. There's a
fine of two pounds for cracking one within a mile of Government House,
they make such a row. A man the other day cracked one of them on the
South Head, and broke the windows in Pitt Street."

"You're improving, master Jim," said Charles Hawker. "You'll soon be as
good a hand at a yarn as Hamlyn's Dick." At the same time he wrote down
a stockwhip, similar to this one, on the tablets of his memory, to be
procured on his projected visit to Sydney.

That evening we all sat listening to Jim's adventures; and pleasantly
enough he told them, with not a little humorous exaggeration. It is
always pleasant to hear a young fellow telling his first impressions of
new things and scenes, which have been so long familiar to ourselves;
but Jim had really a very good power of narration, and he kept us
laughing and amused till long after the usual hour for going to bed.

Next day we had a pleasant ride, all of us, down the banks of the
river. The weather was slightly frosty, and the air clear and elastic.
As we followed the windings of the noble rushing stream, at a height of
seldom less than three hundred feet above his bed, the Doctor was busy
pointing out the alternations of primitive sa