The Project Gutenberg EBook of Back To Billabong, by Mary Grant Bruce

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Title: Back To Billabong

Author: Mary Grant Bruce

Release Date: June 6, 2006 [EBook #7047]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BACK TO BILLABONG ***

Produced by Donald Lainson

BACK TO BILLABONG

By Mary Grant Bruce

1921

"Beyond the distant sky-line
(Now pansy-blue and clear),
We know a land is waiting,
A brown land, very dear:
A land of open spaces,
Gaunt forest, treeless plain:
And if we once have loved it
We must come back again."

(Dorothea Mackellar.)

CONTENTS

CHAP.

I. LANCASTER GATE, LONDON, W

II. THE RAINHAMS

III. PLAYING TRUANT

IV. COMING HOME

V. THE TURN OF FORTUNE'S WHEEL

VI. SAILING ORDERS

VII. THE WATCH DOGS

VIII. HOW TOMMY BOARDED A STRANGE TAXI

IX. THE WELCOME OF AUSTRALIA

X. BILLABONG

XI. COLONIAL EXPERIENCES

XII. ON INFLUENZA AND FURNITURE

XIII. THE HOME ON THE CREEK

XIV. THE CUNJEE RACES

XV. HOW WALLY RODE A RACE

XVI. BUILDING UP AGAIN

BACK TO BILLABONG

CHAPTER I

LANCASTER GATE, LONDON, W

"Do the beastly old map yourself, if you want it. I shan't, anyhow!"

"Wilfred!"

"Aw, Wil-fred!" The boy at the end of the schoolroom table, red-haired,
snub-nosed and defiant, mimicked the protesting tone. "I've done it
once, and I'm blessed if I do it again."

"No one would dream that it was ever meant for Africa." The young
teacher glanced at the scrawled and blotted map before her. "It--it
doesn't look like anything earthly. You must do it again, Wilfred."

"Don't you, Wilf." Wilfred's sister leaned back in her chair, tilting it
on its hind legs.

"You have nothing to do with Wilfred's work, Avice. Go on with your
French."

"Done it, thanks," said Avice. "And I suppose I can speak to my own
brother if I like."

"No, you can't--in lesson time," said the teacher.

"Who's going to stop me?"

Cecilia Rainham controlled herself with an effort.

"Bring me your work," she said.

She went over the untidy French exercise with a quick eye. Wh