"But what about the poor mare? Did she die? and did the wild dogs eat the colt?"
"O, I almost forgot to tell you that, to my astonishment, in two or three days, when the snow hardened a bit, the pair found their way home, and I, after a deal of trouble, got them to the banks of the Tumut River, which, although only a couple of miles away, was so many hundred feet lower, that they could paw away the snow, and so got grass enough to live till spring when they soon got fat. The little colt I named 'Snowdrop,' and when she was old enough, broke her in; and many a good gallop we had over the place where she and her mother neighed to me on that dark and dismal night."
[A] A peculiar shout, heard at a great distance, which is common among the Australian settlers.
Spring has come back to us, beautiful spring! Blue-birds and swallows are out on the wing; Over the meadows a carpet of green Softer and richer than velvet is seen.
Up come the blossoms so bright and so gay, Giving sweet odors to welcome the May. Sunshine and music are flooding the air, Beauty and brightness are everywhere.
[Illustration: { Bitters being chased by a rooster}]
Charley and Jimmie D. were playing near the barn one day, when along came the forlornest looking cur you ever did see. The children commenced calling him, and laughed loudly as the animal came towards them, he was _such_ an ill-looking thing.
"Good fellow! nice fellow!" said Charley, patting him. "Jim, you run in, and get him something to eat--won't you? and don't tell mother yet; you know she dislikes dogs so. We'll tie him up to-night, and tell her to-morrow, if no one comes for him."
Such another looking dog I think I never saw--scrawny and poor, as though he had never been more than half fed; a slit in one ear, tail not much to speak of, and color a dirty black and white.
Jimmie soon came back from a successful forage, and gave him a good supper. At least doggie seemed to think so, for he gobbled it up in about a minute, and then wagged the stump of his tail for more.
"No, sir," said Charley, "no more to-night."
Then they shut him up in a little room in a corner of the barn, and ran to find their father, and tell him, well knowing he would not care, if their mother was willing.