In Search of the Castaways [117]
have come straight from Perth, and, take my word for it, they will soon be there again." Mr. Mitchell nodded acquiescence in the words of the police-inspector. At this moment the wagon arrived at the level crossing of the railway. Glenarvan wished to spare the ladies the horrible spectacle at Camden Bridge. He took courteous leave of the surveyor-general, and made a sign to the rest to follow him. "There is no reason," said he, "for delaying our journey." When they reached the wagon, Glenarvan merely mentioned to Lady Helena that there had been a railway accident, without a hint of the crime that had played so great a part in it; neither did he make mention of the presence of a band of convicts in the neighborhood, reserving that piece of information solely for Ayrton's ear. The little procession now crossed the railway some two hundred yards below the bridge, and then resumed their eastward course.
CHAPTER XII TOLINE OF THE LACHLAN
ABOUT two miles from the railway, the plain terminated in a range of low hills, and it was not long before the wagon entered a succession of narrow gorges and capricious windings, out of which it emerged into a most charming region, where grand trees, not closely planted, but in scattered groups, were growing with absolutely tropical luxuriance. As the party drove on they stumbled upon a little native boy lying fast asleep beneath the shade of a magnificent banksia. He was dressed in European garb, and seemed about eight years of age. There was no mistaking the characteristic features of his race; the crisped hair, the nearly black skin, the flattened nose, the thick lips, the unusual length of the arms, immediately classed him among the aborigines of the interior. But a degree of intelligence appeared in his face that showed some educational influences must have been at work on his savage, untamed nature. Lady Helena, whose interest was greatly excited by this spectacle, got out of the wagon, followed by Mary, and presently the whole company surrounded the peaceful little sleeper. "Poor child!" said Mary Grant. "Is he lost, I wonder, in this desert?" "I suppose," said Lady Helena, "he has come a long way to visit this part. No doubt some he loves are here." "But he can't be left here," added Robert. "We must--" His compassionate sentence remained unfinished, for, just at that moment the child turned over in his sleep, and, to the extreme surprise of everybody, there was a large label on his shoulders, on which the following was written: TOLINE. To be conducted to Echuca. Care of Jeffries Smith, Railway Porter. Prepaid.
"That's the English all over!" exclaimed Paganel. "They send off a child just as they would luggage, and book him like a parcel. I heard it was done, certainly; but I could not believe it before." "Poor child!" said Lady Helena. "Could he have been in the train that got off the line at Camden Bridge? Perhaps his parents are killed, and he is left alone in the world!" "I don't think so, madam," replied John Mangles. "That card rather goes to prove he was traveling alone." "He is waking up!" said Mary. And so he was. His eyes slowly opened and then closed again, pained by the glare of light. But Lady Helena took his hand, and he jumped up at once and looked about him in bewilderment at the sight of so many strangers. He seemed half frightened at first, but the presence of Lady Helena reassured him. "Do you understand English, my little man?" asked the young lady. "I understand it and speak it," replied the child in fluent enough English, but with a marked accent. His pronunciation was like a Frenchman's. "What is your name?" asked Lady Helena. "Toline," replied the little native. "Toline!" exclaimed Paganel. "Ah! I think that means 'bark of a tree' in Australian." Toline nodded, and looked again at the travelers. "Where do you come from?" inquired Lady Helena. "From Melbourne, by the railway from Sandhurst." "Were you in the accident at Camden Bridge?" said Glenarvan. "Yes, sir," was Toline's
CHAPTER XII TOLINE OF THE LACHLAN
ABOUT two miles from the railway, the plain terminated in a range of low hills, and it was not long before the wagon entered a succession of narrow gorges and capricious windings, out of which it emerged into a most charming region, where grand trees, not closely planted, but in scattered groups, were growing with absolutely tropical luxuriance. As the party drove on they stumbled upon a little native boy lying fast asleep beneath the shade of a magnificent banksia. He was dressed in European garb, and seemed about eight years of age. There was no mistaking the characteristic features of his race; the crisped hair, the nearly black skin, the flattened nose, the thick lips, the unusual length of the arms, immediately classed him among the aborigines of the interior. But a degree of intelligence appeared in his face that showed some educational influences must have been at work on his savage, untamed nature. Lady Helena, whose interest was greatly excited by this spectacle, got out of the wagon, followed by Mary, and presently the whole company surrounded the peaceful little sleeper. "Poor child!" said Mary Grant. "Is he lost, I wonder, in this desert?" "I suppose," said Lady Helena, "he has come a long way to visit this part. No doubt some he loves are here." "But he can't be left here," added Robert. "We must--" His compassionate sentence remained unfinished, for, just at that moment the child turned over in his sleep, and, to the extreme surprise of everybody, there was a large label on his shoulders, on which the following was written: TOLINE. To be conducted to Echuca. Care of Jeffries Smith, Railway Porter. Prepaid.
"That's the English all over!" exclaimed Paganel. "They send off a child just as they would luggage, and book him like a parcel. I heard it was done, certainly; but I could not believe it before." "Poor child!" said Lady Helena. "Could he have been in the train that got off the line at Camden Bridge? Perhaps his parents are killed, and he is left alone in the world!" "I don't think so, madam," replied John Mangles. "That card rather goes to prove he was traveling alone." "He is waking up!" said Mary. And so he was. His eyes slowly opened and then closed again, pained by the glare of light. But Lady Helena took his hand, and he jumped up at once and looked about him in bewilderment at the sight of so many strangers. He seemed half frightened at first, but the presence of Lady Helena reassured him. "Do you understand English, my little man?" asked the young lady. "I understand it and speak it," replied the child in fluent enough English, but with a marked accent. His pronunciation was like a Frenchman's. "What is your name?" asked Lady Helena. "Toline," replied the little native. "Toline!" exclaimed Paganel. "Ah! I think that means 'bark of a tree' in Australian." Toline nodded, and looked again at the travelers. "Where do you come from?" inquired Lady Helena. "From Melbourne, by the railway from Sandhurst." "Were you in the accident at Camden Bridge?" said Glenarvan. "Yes, sir," was Toline's