Rose’s bashfulness had entirely disappeared, but she was blushing profusely.
“I went out to see the wreck,” said Jack, “and met your little Maori friend.”
“Your life’s preserver.”
“My life’s preserver. She ferried me across an impassable strip of water on a barrel, and almost captured my heart in the saloon.”
“Don’t play any games with Amiria’s heart, or I shall cut you dead. I tell you that plainly.”
“I assure you I have no intention whatever of playing with Amiria’s heart. It was she who played with mine, and nearly won. But I saved myself by flight. It was fortunate I had a good horse.”
Rose laughed. “One would imagine you were hardly big enough to look after yourself. That’s the kind of young man they generally send out from England. Well?”
“As I was coming home I met a digger molesting another friend of mine, a Miss Varnhagen.”
“You’d better be careful—she’s a flirt.”
“Then I rather like flirts. I threw the digger into the river, and took her home. She has the most lovely eyes I ever saw.”