and his friend turned, of course, upon the country, its position
and prospects, and upon the advantage which the various districts
offered to newcomers. Presently the dusk came on, followed rapidly
by darkness, and in half an hour Ethel came to summon them to tea.
The boys had already come in, and were full of delight at the
immense herds of cattle they had seen. As they sat down to the
tea-table, covered with delicate English china, with a kettle over
a spirit-lamp in the center, and lit with the subdued light of two
shaded moderator lamps, Maud said, "It is not one bit like what I
expected, papa, after all you have told us about hardships and
working; it seems just like England, except the trees and flowers
and butterflies."

"Do not be afraid, Maud," her father said, laughing--for her voice
had a tinge of disappointment in it--"you won't be cheated out of
your hardship and your work, I promise you. Mrs. Thompson will tell
you that it was a very different sort of place when she first came
here."

"Yes, indeed," Mrs. Thompson said, smiling; "this was considered a
very lonely place when we first settled here. We had a little hut
with two rooms, and it was more than six months before I could get
a woman servant to come out, and then it was only one of our
shepherds' wives, who knew nothing of cooking, and who was only
useful in drawing the water and sweeping the floors. In time the
country became more settled, and there are stations now sixty or
seventy miles beyond us."

The next week was spent in riding over the estate, which consisted
of four square leagues--that is to say, was six miles each way--and