“Why, Findlayson,” he said, “you’re old enough to be her father.”
“A’ the better, man. And look here, I’ve been squatting for fifteen years, ever since there was a sheep in the plains almost. I have a nice little nest egg at the bank, and if your sister doesna care to live in the Bush we’ll tak’ a hoose in Sydney. For, O man, man, Elsie is the bonniest lassie the world e’er saw. She beats the gowan (mountain daisy).”
Archie laughed.
“I must refer you to the lady herself,” he said.
“Of course, man, of course—
“‘He either fears his fate too much,
Or his deserts are small,
Who dares not put it to the test
To win or lose it all.’”
So away went Findlayson to put his fate to the test.
What he said or what she said does not really concern us; but five minutes after his interview Archie met the honest Scot, and wondrously crestfallen he looked.
“She winna hae me,” he cried, “but nil desperandum, that’ll be my motto till the happy day.”
The next fortnight was in a great measure given up to pleasure and sport. Both Branson and Bounder received their baptism of fire, though the great Newfoundland was wondrously exercised in his mind as to what a kangaroo was, and what it was not. As to the dingoes, he arrived at a conclusion very speedily. They could beat him at a race, however; but when Bounder one time got two of them together, he proved to everybody’s satisfaction that there was life in the old dog yet.