As Mat rode along, he found plenty of time to ponder over the events of the last few hours. Curiously enough, he first considered the matter of the forsaken colt, and its owner, Broomfield.
“He’ll think it mean of me,” he mused, “when he finds I’ve bolted clean away, and left the colt; but, after all, he ‘jacked out’ when we once settled to work our way to Australia together. Burns he’s behaved like a man, and I’m a lucky chap; ten guineas to start with, and passage found me; yes, and I’ll work to pay him back, and send some money to the old folk.”
Thus soliloquizing, he found himself at the station, and had just time to put up his horse and feed him, when the train came in. Buying a ticket, he jumped into an empty compartment, and though it was the first time he had ever travelled by rail, his fatigue was so great that he fell asleep at once, and only woke up as the train drew up at the London terminus. Here he procured a cup of coffee, and then made his way in a cab to the Docks, whilst the great city was still asleep.
With some difficulty the driver of his hackney carriage found the Young Austral. On going on board Mat was told that the captain would not be there for some hours, and that the ship would possibly leave the docks next evening. So leaving his gun and bundle on board in charge of a good-natured mate, and telling him that he was expecting his brother, he hobbled out to get his leg dressed again, and to look at the shops, which were just being opened.
Strolling down Wharfgate Street, Mat encountered an old man in the act of taking down his shutters. Perceiving that it was a bookseller’s, he asked the owner whether he had any good novels.
“Yes, plenty,” was the reply. “Come in; what will you have? Dickens, Thackeray, or something racy?”
“Why, zomething what’s useful on a long voyage,” answered Mat, who was somewhat puzzled for an answer.
“You don’t look much like a sailor,” remarked the shopkeeper, “more like a youngster bolted from home.”
“Well, what if I have? I want some books all the same.”
“Here you are, then; take this second-hand lot for three shillings.”