"Yes," said Herbert, with perfect gravity.
Eustace flushed deeply.
"Oh, of course," he said, "coolies and every one had meals together. We all ate out of a trough."
"Eustace!" exclaimed Nesta in dismay, wondering what had happened to him all of a sudden.
The cousins stared at him blankly, hardly realizing for a moment what he had said.
"Well, it is just as sensible as saying we had meals with the servants," said the boy, in such a tone of disgust that Herbert was left in no doubt as to his meaning.
"You needn't be cheeky, youngster," he said; "you can't expect me to know your habits, can you? I do know people in the Colonies can't pick and choose their company, and have to make friends with cowboys and bushrangers, if they want any society."
"What!" shouted the twins. "Who told you that?"
"Oh, I've read it somewhere," Herbert said carelessly. "It said 'there are no class distinctions in Colonial life. Men and women meet as equals.'"
"Then it is rot," said Eustace briefly. "I don't know how you could believe it. Our friends were all gentlemen and ladies. Australians are as particular as you are whom they have for friends."