<h2><SPAN name="CHAPTER_IX">CHAPTER IX. <br/><span class="cheaderfont">UP COUNTRY.</span></SPAN></h2>
<p>Edgar Foster accompanied Wal Jessop to Sydney,
in order to give evidence before the Marine Board as
to the cause of the disaster to the <em>Distant Shore</em>.
He found he was the cynosure of all eyes on the
ferry-boat, for the morning papers had given a glowing
account of his bravery in saving Eva.</p>
<p>Wal Jessop felt proud of the fine lad by his side,
who had so quickly recovered from his exertions,
and seemed to have almost forgotten the horrors of
the wreck in looking at the beautiful scene he now
saw for the first time.</p>
<p>As the ferry-boat left the landing-stage at Watson’s
Bay, Wal Jessop pointed out the narrow passage
through the Heads, and Edgar saw with wondering<span class="pagenum">[84]</span>
eyes how near the ill-fated ship had been to the
harbour of refuge.</p>
<p>‘If we could only have been driven through that
passage instead of on to the rocks,’ said Edgar, ‘we
might all have been alive now.’</p>
<p>‘It was a terrible thing to go down so near home,’
said Wal Jessop. ‘This is one of the best and safest
harbours in the world.’</p>
<p>‘I have heard a good deal about it,’ said Edgar,
smiling, ‘but I am not surprised at the enthusiastic
way in which people praise its beauties. All I have
heard or read gave me a very faint idea of the
reality, which is far beyond any expectation I had
formed.’</p>
<p>‘I’m glad to hear that,’ replied Wal Jessop.
‘People at times are apt to consider we “blow” too
much about our harbour.’</p>
<p>‘Too much praise cannot be bestowed upon a
scene like this,’ said Edgar.</p>
<p>When they arrived at Circular Quay, Wal Jessop
took his companion to the Marine Board offices,
where he left him, and went to send a cablegram to
Edgar’s father.</p>
<p>Edgar gave his account of the wreck in a manner
that at once won the respect of Captain Fife and
the members of the Board. He modestly put his
own courageous conduct in the background, and
spoke of Captain Manton in such a manner that it
left no doubt upon the minds of his hearers that
everything had been done that was possible to save<span class="pagenum">[85]</span>
the ship. Edgar’s description of the wreck and the
bravery of Wal Jessop was given in a simple,
straightforward style.</p>
<p>Captain Fife watched Edgar narrowly, and came
to the conclusion he was a lad to be trusted, and
also a lad who had received a good education. After
the Board meeting he took Edgar into his private
office, and asked him what he intended to do.</p>
<p>‘I hardly know at present,’ replied Edgar, ‘but I
have no doubt I shall be able to obtain some kind
of work until I can look round.’</p>
<p>‘Your name seems familiar to me,’ said Captain
Fife.</p>
<p>‘Probably,’ said Edgar, smiling, ‘if you are a lover
of cricket.’</p>
<p>Captain Fife jumped up from his chair, and said
in astonishment:</p>
<p>‘Surely you are not the son of Robert Foster, who
captained the last English eleven against our team at
Lord’s?’</p>
<p>‘I am,’ said Edgar, ‘and proud of it.’</p>
<p>‘And well you may be, my lad,’ said Captain Fife.
‘The son of such a sterling, manly cricketer as
Robert Foster will not lack friends in Australia. I
suppose it is needless to ask if you play?’</p>
<p>‘I am very fond of the game,’ said Edgar, ‘and
was captain of my school when I left.’</p>
<p>‘We must give you a trial here,’ said Captain
Fife, ‘but in the meantime I must try and find you
something to do.’ He thought for a few moments,<span class="pagenum">[86]</span>
and then said: ‘How would you like to go up country
for a time? I have an interest in a station in the
West, and I think you would enjoy the life. It is
very quiet, but the change would in itself be a novelty
to you.’</p>
<p>‘I should like it immensely,’ said Edgar; ‘I do
not care much for a town life.’</p>
<p>‘I believe you lost everything in the wreck?’ said
Captain Fife.</p>
<p>‘Yes,’ replied Edgar. ‘Wal Jessop has sent a
cablegram to my father, stating I am safe, and also
that I lost all, so I have no doubt he will send me
out a draft by an early mail to cover expenses.
I do not wish to draw upon my father continually,
and I came out here to earn my living if
possible.’</p>
<p>‘Glad to hear it,’ said Captain Fife. ‘We have
too many young fellows out here who live upon
money sent them from home. It is a mistaken kindness,
as it causes them to rely upon others instead
of themselves, and self-reliance a man must have to
get on in this world.’</p>
<p>Edgar was much impressed with what Captain
Fife said, and knew it was sound advice he gave.</p>
<p>‘My father always taught me to hold my own,’
said Edgar, ‘and to do what is right. Of course I
got into scrapes sometimes at school, but I never
shirked the consequences. I fought a lad called
Bully Rakes, and beat him, the first week I was at
Redbank. I was in the right, and therefore I felt<span class="pagenum">[87]</span>
confident of success, although he was a much stronger
lad.’</p>
<p>‘So you can box as well as play cricket,’ said
Captain Fife, smiling; ‘you’ll get on all right here, I
can see. Can you ride well?’</p>
<p>‘Fairly well,’ said Edgar. ‘I followed the hounds
during the holidays when I had an opportunity. I
should like to have a chance in the cricket-field here.’</p>
<p>‘So you shall,’ said Captain Fife. ‘I will take
care your going up country does not injure your
prospects in that line. We have a very good team
on the station, and you will have plenty of practice
to keep your hand in. Some of our best men have
been drawn from up country.’</p>
<p>It was decided that Edgar, after a week’s stay in
Sydney with Wal Jessop, should go up to Yanda,
and try how the life suited him.</p>
<p>‘I will advance you enough money to keep you
going,’ said Captain Fife, ‘and you can repay me
when you have “knocked up a cheque,” as we say
here.’</p>
<p>Edgar left Captain Fife’s office feeling he had
been most fortunate. His heart was heavy when
he thought of the <em>Distant Shore</em> and those on board
who had lost their lives. He could hardly realize,
as he walked the streets of Sydney, how near he
had been to death, and that only a day or two ago.
He met Wal Jessop, and told him what Captain
Fife had done.</p>
<p>‘He’s a good sort,’ said Wal—‘a regular out-and-outer.<span class="pagenum">[88]</span>
You’ll have a real good time at Yanda. It’s
different to many stations, for the hands up there all
pull together, and, my eye! don’t they turn out some
good sports. Why, Tom Trundle, one of the best
fast bowlers we ever had in the New South Wales
team, came from Yanda. How he learned to bowl
up there, blest if I know! but that he had learned
he quickly proved when he tried his hand on the
Association Ground. I’ll never forget that match,’
went on Wal, warming to his work, as this was one
of his favourite topics. ‘Tommy was picked to play
for the country against the town, and the way he
made some of the crack players’ stumps fly was a
caution. Frank Rarey was a good bat—about our
best—but the country chap sent Frank’s middle
stump turning summersaults in the air like a clown
in a circus. It was as good as a pipe of ‘bacca after
a day’s hard graft to see the expression on Frank’s
face when he saw that stump fly. He looked at
Tom, and he looked at the shattered wicket. Then
he walked into the dressing-room and meditated.
When the innings was ended Frank went up to Tom
and said:</p>
<p>‘“You’re a wonder, Trundle. You’ll have to play
for the colony next time.”</p>
<p>‘Sure enough he did,’ added Wal; ‘and bless me
if he didn’t come off first pop. He took seven of the
Victorian wickets in the very next match we had
against that colony.’</p>
<p>‘Something like a triumph,’ said Edgar, who<span class="pagenum">[89]</span>
listened to Wal’s recital with all the ardour of a
schoolboy. ‘I only hope I may come off as well as
he did when I have the luck to play for the colony.’</p>
<p>‘Did Captain Fife say anything about it?’ asked
Wal. ‘He’s a rare one for cricket, and, in fact, all
sorts of sport.’</p>
<p>‘He said if I went up country it would not prejudice
my chance in the cricket-field,’ said Edgar.</p>
<p>‘Nor will it,’ said Wal. ‘It will be far better for
you to go up country than remain hanging about
town.’</p>
<p>‘I shall have to leave Eva behind until some of
Captain Manton’s friends have been communicated
with. My father will probably see to that when he
learns the news. I must write him a long letter by
the next mail, and tell him all about the wreck and
how bravely Pilot Jessop acted.’</p>
<p>‘Ay,’ said Wal, with a smile, ‘and if I were you
I’d just send him a few papers in order to let him see
how well his son behaved. That would only be fair.
As for the little lass, she’s welcome to stop with us as
long as she’s allowed. It will be a sore trial to my
wife to part with her. You see, we have no bairn of
our own,’ added Wal, with a wistful sigh.</p>
<p>‘She could not be in better hands,’ said Edgar. ‘I
suppose,’ he asked, as a sudden idea occurred to him,
‘there is no possible chance of anyone being saved
from the wreck? I mean, do you think it possible
anyone could have drifted out to sea on a portion of
the wreck and been picked up by a passing boat?’</p>
<p><span class="pagenum">[90]</span></p>
<p>‘That’s not possible, I think,’ said Wal. ‘No boat
left the harbour next day, and the storm was so bad,
I hardly think anyone could have lived through it out
at sea.’</p>
<p>‘It was just a thought occurred to me,’ said Edgar.
‘I know every search has been made, but one clings
to hope, even after all hope has gone.’</p>
<p>Wal Jessop took Edgar round Sydney, and showed
him several sights. The more Edgar saw of the city,
the more he marvelled at its wondrous growth. He
had been taught much at school about the colonies,
but he had no idea such vast cities as Sydney lay on
the other side of the world. Young though he was,
he saw at once how greatly such possessions as
Australia must enhance the power and importance of
the mother-country. He saw how widespread the
influence and example of England was, and every
name and building tended to revive some association
with the old country.</p>
<p>As he sat in the Botanical Gardens with Wal
Jessop, looking over the lovely expanse of harbour
before them, and the hills and bays of the opposite
shore, he said:</p>
<p>‘It is only a lad’s opinion, but I think we are not
taught sufficient about our country’s great possessions
abroad when we are at school.’</p>
<p>‘Perhaps not,’ said Wal; ‘but on this side of the
world our youngsters are taught more about old
England than Australia.’</p>
<p>‘That should not be,’ said Edgar. ‘Every child<span class="pagenum">[91]</span>
ought to have a thorough knowledge of his own
country, and, from what little I know of it, the history
of Australia must be vastly interesting.’</p>
<p>‘It is,’ said Wal, ‘and I have managed to scrape
together a good deal about it. The early settlers
here had no easy time, but they did well, and laid the
foundation of a promising colony upon a lot of bad
material. You would hardly think to look at it now
that Sydney, a century ago, was a convict settlement
of only a few huts, and inhabited by desperate
criminals, many of whom were more like fiends than
human beings.’</p>
<p>‘There are not many traces of those days left?’ said
Edgar questioningly.</p>
<p>‘No,’ said Wal, ‘and it is far better they should be
obliterated. Now, in Tasmania you see more of it.
You would find Port Arthur a curious old place. It
gave me the horrors the first time I saw it.’</p>
<p>They chatted on for some time. Wal Jessop was a
good talker, and interested a lad of Edgar’s age.
Edgar Foster was a manly boy, not a boy developed
into a man before his time by a forcing process, as
too often is the case in this age of rapid progress.</p>
<p>On reaching home again, Wal Jessop explained to
his wife how Edgar had been received by Captain
Fife.</p>
<p>‘You’ll not object to keep the little lass here,’ said
Wal, ‘while Edgar goes up country for a few
months?’</p>
<p>‘I should like to keep her for my own,’ said Mrs.<span class="pagenum">[92]</span>
Jessop. ‘She is a dear child, and will be a joy to our
home.’</p>
<p>‘She is a lovable little thing,’ said Edgar, ‘and I
am sure will give you no trouble. I do not know
whether Captain Manton had any relations in
England, but I imagine he had. In any case, we
shall hear something before very long. I know I
shall leave her in safe hands.’</p>
<p>‘That you may rest assured of,’ said Mrs. Jessop;
‘and I hope you will have a good time up country.
Captain Fife has evidently taken a fancy to you, and
he’s a man worth knowing.’</p>
<p>‘That he is, Mary,’ said her husband; ‘and many’s
the good turn he’s done me.’</p>
<p>‘Which you thoroughly deserved,’ said Edgar, with
a smile.</p>
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