e-looking young lady, whom the children called "Aunt Emily,"
followed; and then Gertrude, Edgar, and Albert, of whom little could be
known, as they did not utter a word, were lifted out.

"Here, lend a hand and help us, you fellows!" said Paul to his cousins,
as he and Harry went to assist their father and Mr Berrington, who,
with their tutor and Sandy, were engaged in unloading the drays.

Reginald at once came forward, but Hector, without replying, sauntered
into the house.

The articles as they were taken out were piled up round the walls of the
rooms, leaving but little space to move about. Mr Hayward at once went
back to his hut, telling Paul and Harry that he was ready for them, and
that there would be a bed for one of his cousins if he wished to come
up. It was some time after the ladies had been shown their rooms,
before they made their appearance at the supper-table--Mrs Berrington
leaning on her husband's arm, the elder girls following, having changed
their travelling dresses for evening costume, such as was not often seen
in the bush. Their cousins, who wore their usual plain dress, looked at
them with no slight astonishment. Hector came in shortly afterwards,
and took his seat without speaking.

"I am afraid that you must be very tired," remarked Mrs Hugh to her
sister-in-law.

"Yes, indeed; I wonder that I have survived it coming over those
dreadful mountains--sufficient to shake the nerves of the strongest, and
mine are sensitive to a degree," was the answer.

"A few days of quiet will set you all to rights," observed the captain.
"Your girls do not appear to be the worse for it, though Hector looks
somewhat knocked up."

"Ah, yes! he takes after me," said Mrs Berrington.

"I'm rather more bored than tired," observed Hector. "I didn't imagine
that such a country as this was to be found in the Queen's dominions."

"It's the finest country in the world, old fellow," said Harry, from the
other end of the table. "You'll learn to like it in time. So cheer up,
we'll soon make a man of you."

Hector turned a disdainful glance towards the speaker.

"Harry, do not let your tongue run loose," observed his father, though
with no very angry glance.

The conversation soon became general, Miss Emily Saville doing her best
to make amends for her sister's silence. She and her nieces expressed
themselves delighted with the delicious fruits offered them, and the
evening passed by more pleasantly than m