I excused myself to my companion, and acceded to the request of several children to go on a flower- and gum-hunting expedition.  We were a long time absent, and returning, the little ones scampered ahead and left me alone.  Harold Beecham came to meet me, looking as pleasant as ever.

“Am I keeping grannie and uncle waiting?” I inquired.

“No.  They have gone over an hour,” he replied.

“Gone!  How am I to get home?  She must have been very angry to go and leave me.  What did she say?”

“On the contrary, she was in great fiddle.  She said to tell you not to kill yourself with fun, and as you are not going home, she left me to say good night.  I suppose she kisses you when performing that ceremony,” he said mischievously.

“Where am I going tonight?”

“To Five-Bob Downs, the camp of yours truly,” he replied.

“I haven’t got a dinner dress, and am not prepared.  I will go home.”

“We have plenty dinner dresses at Five-Bob without any more.  It is Miss Melvyn we want,” he said.

“Oh, bother you!” I retorted.  ’Wen are such stupid creatures, and never understand about dress or anything.  They think you could go to a ball in a wrapper.”

“At all events, they are cute enough to know when they want a young lady at their place, no matter how she’s dressed,” he said good-humouredly.

On reaching the racecourse I was surprised to see aunt Helen there.  From her I learnt that grannie and uncle Jay-Jay had really gone home, but Mr Beecham had persuaded them to allow aunt Helen and me to spend the night at Five-Bob Downs, our host promising to send or take us home on the morrow.  Now that I was to have aunt Helen with me I was delighted at the prospect, otherwise I would have felt a little out of it.  With aunt Helen, however, I was content anywhere, and built a castle in the air, wherein one day she and I were always to live together—­for ever!  Till death!

Going home aunt Helen occupied a front seat with Harold and Miss Derrick, and I was crammed in at the back beside Miss Augusta, who patted my hand and said she was delighted to see me.

A great concourse of young men and women in vehicles and on horseback, and in expectation of great fun, were wending their way to Yabtree—­nearly every trap containing a fiddle, concertina, flute, or accordion in readiness for the fray.

CHAPTER TWENTY

Same Yarn—­continued

Every station hand from Five-Bob, male and female, had gone to the ball at Yabtree.  Harold and his overseer had to attend to the horses, while the jackeroos started a fire in the kitchen, opened windows and doors which had been locked all day, and saw to the comfort of the gentlemen guests.

Aunt Helen and I shared the one bedroom.  As we had not fresh dresses to put on we had to make the best of our present toilet.