He had told them that the squire had promised them an escort to see them safely back to their tribe; but the chief, being now away from the towns, begged to be allowed to see a little more of station life, as he could hunt and fish, and be his own master in the bush, besides, he had made friends with some station blacks who were camped at the lagoon, and now he thought Mat might teach him how to use the thunder-stick.
This change of plans relieved Mat, as he knew that Bell was rather short-handed, and could ill spare the men for this escort just then; so he took the opportunity to instruct Dromoora in the use of a gun, finally leaving that doughty chief a proficient in the art of shooting anything sitting or swimming.
Our forester had been for some few weeks at the out-station, when one morning two letters were handed to him, one from Mrs. Bell to say that the professor had arrived, and the other from Tim—a very short one—saying that he did not much fancy the Keens, that he had got rheumatism again, and altogether felt restless, and was determined to join his brother, and might turn up any day.
To Mrs. Bell’s delight the Frenchman had, indeed, arrived at Bulinda Creek, bowing his way into the house and making pretty speeches to the ladies.
Mrs. Bell had once before, in Sydney, had an interview with him, and now, after introducing him to her husband, beckoned the latter out of the room.
“Isn’t he charming, Bell,” she said; “I really quite felt in dear Parry again when he spoke.”
But the squire was by no means so favourably impressed. He had eyed the professor askance, and now told his wife to lock up her spoons.
“What! my dear!” she answered, “you’re joking; look at his manners, look at his ‘ton.’ What a grand face, what eyes, and such a lovely moustache!”
“Yes, it’s just his face I don’t like,” retorted her husband; “and his eyes are beastly cunning when he thinks you’re not looking at him; his moustache, to my mind, is rather too good.”
“But,” sharply continued Mrs. Bell, “you will never see that the French, though perhaps a little vain as to their personal appearance, are ‘au fond,’ a noble race; which means that they are a fine people ‘at bottom.’”