"Father, mother, hear the dogs! It's the boys, I bet tuppence. Hurrah! Hurrah!——"
"Jessie, Jessie! you are certainly developing very——"
Mrs. Mac is prosing without an audience, for the girls are flying along the track to the slip-rails, accompanied by the barking dogs.
It was verging on midnight when the Bullaroi household broke up. The adventures were told with a degree of modesty to an intensely interested and at times breathless company. The spoils of the sea and the spoils of the mine were displayed to the admiration of all. Mrs. M'Intyre gave high praise to the pals for their success as fish-curers; while the gold spoke for itself, needing no expert opinion.
Mr. M'Intyre had the last word.
"Ye've advanced a big step towards yure manhood, laddies, and I'm prood o' ye the nicht. Yure conduc' under they perils by sea and land is more precious by far that yon gleeterin' gowd. A guid name is raither to be chosen than great riches. Thank the Lord for a' His mercies! Guid-nicht, bairns."
"GOOD-NIGHT ALL."
Printed by MORRISON & GIBB LIMITED, Edinburgh
*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PALS ***