Some few weeks after this, the brothers were discussing their future plans with Burns.
The fact was that ever since the riding episode, he had been trying to induce them to stay altogether at his station, and they had almost agreed with his proposal to do so, at all events for six months, when their conversation was interrupted by the arrival of a mounted messenger, who, with a loud clinking of spurs, came up the verandah steps and handed Burns an official-looking document, saying shortly, as he did so,—
“From the Governor.”
“Hullo, you Stanleys,” shouted Burns, as soon as he had skipped through the letter, “here, read this. You are both—all of you—expected to accompany the bearer back to Brisbane at once, to wait on the acting-Governor, and then be shipped off to Sydney. But here, read it.”
The brothers read the letter carefully through, and found that it was indeed a summons to Brisbane from headquarters; that “the two natives were to go with them, and that Burns was to find the horses.”
“But how do they know anything about us?” inquired Mat.
“That’s what beats me,” said Burns. “Oh, stop; I’ve got it! That drunken rider who was here has a brother, sort of head-clerk in Government House. The breaker has told his brother, and thus the whole matter has come to the ears of the Governor. That breaker, as you know, went back to Brisbane; but I daresay you don’t know that he never paid me my five pounds; only, I suppose just to show that there was no coolness between us, took a bottle of my best brandy with him. But now, my friends, this is no time to talk. You must get your ‘swags’ as quickly as you can, and I’ll see about the horses: you don’t know what luck may be in store for you.”
“But one moment,” said Tim. “The natives can’t ride.”
“Oh, bother the blacks! never mind, I’ll send you all in the buggy, besides, it will be easier going for rheumatics and stiff joints. It’s lucky we have all finished letters for the home mail; you can post them.”
A few hours later, having bid farewell to their good-natured host, we again find our little party heading southwards, but this time clothed, driving a carriage and pair, with an outrider in uniform to show them the way; and, in fact, “travelling like gentlemen,” as Tim said.