"Hi! Matt," said Sam, "you look uncommonly smart."
Matt bent down his head, and laughed, in a rather sheepish sort of way.
"Well, you see, sir, I was coming into the home station to see if the Major could spare me for a few days."
"What, going a courting, eh? Well, I'll make that all right for you. Who is the lady,—eh?"
"Why, its Elsy Macdonald, I believe."
"Elsy Macdonald!" said Sam.
"Ay, yes, sir. I know what you mean, but she ain't like her sister; and that was more Mr. Charles Hawker's fault than her own. No; Elsy is good enough for me, and I'm not very badly off, and begin to fancy I would like some better sort of welcome in the evening than what a cranky old brute of a hutkeeper can give me. So I think I shall bring her home."
"I wish you well, Matt," said Sam; "I hope you are not going to leave us though."
"No fear, sir; Major Buckley is too good a master for that!"
"Well, I'll get the hut coopered up a bit for you, and you shall be as comfortable as circumstances will permit. Good morning."