Back To Billabong, page 1 by Mary Grant Bruce
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E, LONDON, W
II. THE RAINHAMS
III. PLAYING TRUANT
IV. COMING HOME
V. THE TURN OF FORTUNE'S WHEEL
VI. SAILING ORDERS
VII. THE WATCH DOGS
VIII. HOW TOMMY BOARDED A STRANGE TAXI
IX. THE WELCOME OF AUSTRALIA
X. BILLABONG
XI. COLONIAL EXPERIENCES
XII. ON INFLUENZA AND FURNITURE
XIII. THE HOME ON THE CREEK
XIV. THE CUNJEE RACES
XV. HOW WALLY RODE A RACE
XVI. BUILDING UP AGAIN
BACK TO BILLABONG
CHAPTER I
LANCASTER GATE, LONDON, W
"Do the beastly old map yourself, if you want it. I shan't, anyhow!"
"Wilfred!"
"Aw, Wil-fred!" The boy at the end of the schoolroom table, red- haired, snub-nosed and defiant, mimicked the protesting tone. "I've done it once, and I'm blessed if I do it again."
"No one would dream that it was ever meant for Africa." The young teacher glanced at the scrawled and blotted map before her. "It-- it doesn't look like anything earthly. You must do it again, Wilfred."
"Don't you, Wilf." Wilfred's sister leaned back in her chair, tilting it on its hind legs.
"You have nothing to do with Wilfred's work, Avice. Go on with your French."
"Done it, thanks," said Avice. "And I suppose I can speak to my own brother if I like."
"No, you can't--in lesson time," said the teacher.
"Who's going to stop me?"
Cecilia Rainham controlled herself with an effort.
"Bring me your work," she said.
She went over the untidy French exercise with a quick eye. When she had finished it resembled a stormy sky--a groundwork of blue- black, blotted writing, lit by innumerable dashes of red. Cecilia put down her red pencil.
"It's hopeless, Avice. You haven't tried a bit. And you know it isn't hard--you did a far more difficult piece of translation without a mistake last Friday."
"Yes, but the pantomime was coming off on Saturday," said Wilfred, with a