Jack the Englishman

by H. Louisa Bedford

"We'll talk to my sister and Aunt Betty and see what can be done," he said. "Has Eva ever been to Wylmington Falls? If not, we could hire a brake, get some of the neighbours to join us, and we'll call it Eva's party."

The notion caught on like wildfire, and Eva herself was in ecstasies of delight. She watched every cloudlet that flecked the sky with grave forebodings lest the longed-for day should prove wet.

"Not a chance of it," said Uncle Tom. "The farmers are all longing for rain to save their crops, which bush fires are constantly destroying," but that rain should fall on Thursday was more than he or any of the others could wish. And it did not rain! Never was a more perfect day for a picnic. The families at the farm and the cottage were early astir, for everybody was coming except Mr. Treherne, who had to stay behind for the task of looking after the animals, for it was to be a real long summer holiday, beginning with dinner directly they arrived, and closing with tea before their return, which would give the horses a nice long rest. So soon after eleven the brake started off with Mrs. Kenyon, Mrs. Treherne, Betty, and all the provisions packed in hampers, and behind came the pony cart from the farm driven by Tom, with Jack and Eva tucked in by the side of him, and various other vehicles joined them on the way, carrying invited guests, so that it was quite a cavalcade that wound its way along the circuitous road, and there was much laughter and rivalry as to who should take the lead, and who could keep it, and for one proud triumphant moment Tom and the pony led the way, to be superseded very quickly by the brake with its stout pair of horses. But for the long, long climb at the end, all were reduced to walking, and many of the passengers got out, amongst them the children, who plunged into the bush below and above them, bringing back handfuls of flowers and berries.

"And this afternoon, Eva, whilst the others are lazing about, you and I will go blackberrying in the bush. We'll make a surprise for Aunt Betty, who'll be awfully pleased when we bring back a lot of berries ready for jam," said Jack magnanimously, determined to make the day altogether delightful for Eva.

"How lovely!" said Eva. "Don't forget we're to keep it a secret. No one shall guess what we mean to do."

But now the carriages had turned into the rough track which led to the famous falls, whose nearness proclaimed itself by a distant roar of falling water, a sound which mingled with the swirl of the river under the bridge they had just driven over.

A quarter of a mile through the green overgrown track brought them to a large clearing, where open sheds had been built for the special benefit of picnicers, where a general halt was called, and whilst the men busied themselves in taking out their horses and giving them a rub down before securing them in the sheds, the women and children collected fuel for the fire, but Jack and Eva, fascinated by the sound of the falling water, stole off hand in hand to obtain a nearer view of the Falls. Arched over their heads was a long avenue of tree ferns, under their feet the rocks and stones which the winter floods brought with them, but now the river had withdrawn to its natural bed, and an exquisite undergrowth of flowers and maidenhair fern concealed the roughness of the way. More than once Eva would have lost her footing but for Jack's hand, but at last they reached the point where they could obtain their first full view of the falls, three separate cascades of foaming, sparkling water growing greater and stronger in its fall, until it lost itself in the turbulent river below.

"One would not have much chance if one fell in," said Jack.

"No, it's lovely, but it frightens me and makes me giddy to look at it. Take me back to the others," Eva answered.

Jack longed to linger, longed to scale the rough ladders set against the hill, which would lead him up to the higher falls, but the day was Eva's, and he turned and gave her his hand.