in children
brought up under similar auspices. Though hospitable and kind in the
extreme, from their remote and secluded position, the Smitherses were
rarely visited by strangers; and even their few neighbours were either
located at such considerable distances that it made visiting
inconvenient, or they were people of a stamp who had no relish for their
society. Mr. Smithers never visited town, except when business made it
absolutely necessary, and his amiable wife never entertained any desire
to leave her family; consequently it was not to be wondered at, from the
time of her arrival at the station, five years before the period of
which we speak, she had never left it longer than for a day's ride, to
return the courtesies of some of her nearest friends.

Bob Smithers, as we have already said, was inclined occasionally to
exceed the bounds of temperance and decorum; but even he sincerely
respected his sister-in-law, and never ventured to violate propriety by
the introduction of such companions as he knew would be distasteful to
her. At the same time, the influence of her presence acted as a check
upon his wild and uncouth habits, and prevented him from giving way so
entirely to his reckless propensities as he would have done under no
such restraint.

The Fergusons were well pleased with the portion of the Smithers'
_menage_ they had met; and during the interval that they were waiting
for the return of Bob, who had, so his brother informed them, been
detained somewhere on the run, probably through the swollen nature of
the creeks, they enjoyed one of the most pleasant evenings they had
spent for a long time. The absentee made his appearance late in the
evening, and after a mutual introduction, informed his visitors that he
had hardly expected them for a day or two. The rain in the neighbourhood
of Brompton, they discovered, had been falling for some days, and had
been considerably heavier than on the higher parts of the river; while,
owing to the large body of water that had fallen, Bob stated that all
the rivers were too much swollen to admit of their being crossed, and
advised, for their mutual comfort, that their expedition should be
delayed for a few days to give the water time to subside. This advice
was backed up by the rest of the family, who were unanimous in
expressing the delight they would feel in their friends extending the
term of their visit; while they, having no objections themselves to such
a course, g