master’s son-in-law. Perhaps, I thought, Fox would have been a better name for him. The more I heard of the perfection of this man the more I set my mind against him because I imagined that in every account of his prowess was some implied criticism of my father.
We sat gazing over the water while Stirling talked of my new home and at last I said: “It’s getting late. I must go in.”
Stirling conducted me to my cabin and said goodnight. When I entered, my companion, who was already in her bunk, remarked that I seemed to find the company of Mr. Herrick very intriguing.
“Naturally we have a great deal to talk about since he is taking me to his country which will be my new home.”
“Mrs. Mullens was saying how odd it was for a young girl to have such a young guardian.”
“There is no law laid down that a guardian should be of a stipulated age. A guardian can be of any age. No one can prevent his being a guardian because he is not middleaged, nor can people be prevented from gossiping. Nor again is there any law to prevent one listening to gossip—only that of good breeding, of course.”
That silenced her and I chuckled to myself. Stirling was right. I had a quick tongue. I must make of it a defensive weapon. Perhaps I should have an opportunity of trying it on Lynx. The thought amused me.
I should not let him command me, I assured myself, though he was my guardian and appointed as such by my own father. I would never be dominated by anyone as this man appeared to dominate people—even Stirling. I would ask no more questions about him. I would shut him out of my mind.
I fell asleep then, but my dreams were haunted by a tall
.
We were three days out of Cape Town when we discovered Jemmy. We had had our usual meal at seven and gone out on to the deck to sit side by side while Stirling talked about his country. I was beginning to build up a clear picture. I saw the bush with its yellow wattle and enormous trees. Stirling was not one to offer glowing descriptions; his conversation was in fact inclined to be terse; but he did make me guess at the beauty of the jarrah tree blossom and the red flowering gum. I could image the red and yellow glory of the flowers they called kangaroo paws; I could see the yellow swamp daisies and the many coloured orchids. He mentioned casually the gay rosellas; and I longed to see the green lorikeets and red-winged parrots. Each day I was learning a little more about the country which would soon be mine.
Suddenly we heard the sound of violent sneezing. We were startled, believing ourselves be alone on deck.
“Who was that?” said Stirling, looking about him.
There was a paroxysm of coughing which could only have come from someone close by. It was clear that the sufferer was desperately attempting to stifle his cough. Stirling and I looked at each other in amazement for we could see no one.
We took a few steps along the deck suspended from which were the lifeboats and as we passed one of these the coughing started again.
“Who’s there?” called Stirling.
There was no answer—but the cough had started again, and this time there was no doubt that it came from the suspended lifeboat.
Stirling was agile. It did not take him long to hoist himself up to the boat. I heard his exclamation.
“It’s a boy,” he said.
I saw the boy’s head—tousled and dirty; his frightened eyes were enormous in his white, scared face.
Stirling had him by the arm and lowered him on to the deck. In a second the three of us were standing there together.
“A … stowaway!” I cried.
“Don’t you tell them,” whimpered the boy.
I could see that he was in a poor state of health when that terrible racking cough started again.
“Don’t be frightened,” I said.
“It’s all right now.”
1 must have sounded convincing because as the cough subsided he looked at me trustingly.
“You’ve no right be on the ship, have you?” I said gently.
“You stowed
We sat gazing over the water while Stirling talked of my new home and at last I said: “It’s getting late. I must go in.”
Stirling conducted me to my cabin and said goodnight. When I entered, my companion, who was already in her bunk, remarked that I seemed to find the company of Mr. Herrick very intriguing.
“Naturally we have a great deal to talk about since he is taking me to his country which will be my new home.”
“Mrs. Mullens was saying how odd it was for a young girl to have such a young guardian.”
“There is no law laid down that a guardian should be of a stipulated age. A guardian can be of any age. No one can prevent his being a guardian because he is not middleaged, nor can people be prevented from gossiping. Nor again is there any law to prevent one listening to gossip—only that of good breeding, of course.”
That silenced her and I chuckled to myself. Stirling was right. I had a quick tongue. I must make of it a defensive weapon. Perhaps I should have an opportunity of trying it on Lynx. The thought amused me.
I should not let him command me, I assured myself, though he was my guardian and appointed as such by my own father. I would never be dominated by anyone as this man appeared to dominate people—even Stirling. I would ask no more questions about him. I would shut him out of my mind.
I fell asleep then, but my dreams were haunted by a tall
.
We were three days out of Cape Town when we discovered Jemmy. We had had our usual meal at seven and gone out on to the deck to sit side by side while Stirling talked about his country. I was beginning to build up a clear picture. I saw the bush with its yellow wattle and enormous trees. Stirling was not one to offer glowing descriptions; his conversation was in fact inclined to be terse; but he did make me guess at the beauty of the jarrah tree blossom and the red flowering gum. I could image the red and yellow glory of the flowers they called kangaroo paws; I could see the yellow swamp daisies and the many coloured orchids. He mentioned casually the gay rosellas; and I longed to see the green lorikeets and red-winged parrots. Each day I was learning a little more about the country which would soon be mine.
Suddenly we heard the sound of violent sneezing. We were startled, believing ourselves be alone on deck.
“Who was that?” said Stirling, looking about him.
There was a paroxysm of coughing which could only have come from someone close by. It was clear that the sufferer was desperately attempting to stifle his cough. Stirling and I looked at each other in amazement for we could see no one.
We took a few steps along the deck suspended from which were the lifeboats and as we passed one of these the coughing started again.
“Who’s there?” called Stirling.
There was no answer—but the cough had started again, and this time there was no doubt that it came from the suspended lifeboat.
Stirling was agile. It did not take him long to hoist himself up to the boat. I heard his exclamation.
“It’s a boy,” he said.
I saw the boy’s head—tousled and dirty; his frightened eyes were enormous in his white, scared face.
Stirling had him by the arm and lowered him on to the deck. In a second the three of us were standing there together.
“A … stowaway!” I cried.
“Don’t you tell them,” whimpered the boy.
I could see that he was in a poor state of health when that terrible racking cough started again.
“Don’t be frightened,” I said.
“It’s all right now.”
1 must have sounded convincing because as the cough subsided he looked at me trustingly.
“You’ve no right be on the ship, have you?” I said gently.
“You stowed
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