<h2><SPAN name="CHAPTER_XXX">CHAPTER XXX. <br/><span class="cheaderfont">GOOD-BYE TO AUSTRALIA.</span></SPAN></h2>
<p>How Captain Manton came to Sydney, and how he
received a welcome of the heartiest description on all
sides, is well known throughout the colony. His
marvellous escape and subsequent adventures, and
the strange discovery of him at Tana by Edgar
Foster and Wal Jessop, have been related over and
over again. His examination by the Marine Board
was thoroughly satisfactory, and Captain Fife said
no man could have done more than Captain Manton
to save his ship.</p>
<p>The tall, commanding form of Captain Manton,
and the pretty child accompanying him wherever he
went, soon became familiar figures in the parks of
Sydney. The big, stalwart seaman was wrapped up
in his child, and his intense love for her was shown in
every word and action.</p>
<p>They sat together for hours on the grassy slopes of
the Botanical Gardens overlooking the harbour, and
watched the big steamers pass to and fro, and the
sailing vessels towed out from their snug berths to
face the perils of an ocean voyage to some far-distant
land. Those were halcyon days for little Eva Manton,
and she often thought of them in after years, when
the business of life had commenced for her in real
earnest.</p>
<p><span class="pagenum">[279]</span></p>
<p>Leaving Captain Manton to rejoice in his new-found
happiness, Edgar Foster took a trip out West
to Yanda, in order to bid good-bye to his friends
before finally departing for England.</p>
<p>They were all very pleased to see him at Yanda,
and Ben Brody could not refrain from relating
wonderful and improbable yarns about his experiences
with Edgar in London.</p>
<p>‘It’s grown into a mighty big place,’ said Ben.
‘You fellows have no idea what London is like.
Bless me if the people are not thicker on the pavements
than sheep in a catching pen!’</p>
<p>‘What’s the mutton like over there?’ asked Jim
Lee solemnly.</p>
<p>‘Nearly as juicy as it is here,’ said Ben, with a
wink, and a smack of the lips that betokened fond
remembrances of sundry succulent London chops.</p>
<p>Yacka made quite a scene when he discovered that
Edgar had returned. He summoned all the blacks
in the neighbourhood, and a great corroboree took
place in his honour.</p>
<p>To Edgar’s inquiries Yacka said he had resolved
never to return to the country of the Enooma, or to
the cave of the White Spirit, now no longer there.</p>
<p>Yacka was contented to live and die at Yanda,
where Ben Brody and the hands were kind to him,
and where he could idle away most of his time, and
spend a savage life such as the blackfellow loves.</p>
<p>‘Would you not like to become civilized,’ asked
Edgar, ‘and cultivate the ways of the white man?’</p>
<p><span class="pagenum">[280]</span></p>
<p>‘No,’ said Yacka; ‘to be civilized means rum and
ruin. Yacka loves his freedom, and wants no civilization.’</p>
<p>It was in vain Edgar endeavoured to induce Yacka
to leave Yanda, and go to Sydney with him. The
black was firm in his resolve never to quit Yanda
again, and many years after Edgar learned that
Yacka died at the station, and was much regretted,
not only by the blacks, but also by the hands.</p>
<p>Before Edgar left Sydney he was entertained by
the cricketers of the city at a banquet, and the
speeches made on that memorable occasion were
treasured by him. They were not mere after-dinner
displays, but real, genuine words spoken from the
heart, and Edgar accepted them as such.</p>
<p>Edgar made many attempts to induce Captain
Manton to return to England with him.</p>
<p>The captain, however, was firm in his determination
not to leave Sydney.</p>
<p>‘I want to end my days here in peace,’ he said to
Edgar; ‘I have only Eva to live for, and I feel we
shall be happy here with our good friends the Jessops.
You will tell your father how much I thank him for
all his kindness to me and mine.’</p>
<p>‘I am sorry you have decided to remain here,’
said Edgar; ‘we should all be so pleased to welcome
you home.’</p>
<p>‘I feel I must remain, my lad,’ said Captain
Manton. ‘I want to be near the place where I lost
my wife and my ship, and all the poor souls who<span class="pagenum">[281]</span>
went down with her. God knows I did my best to
save them, but it was not to be. I feel it to be my
duty to stay here—a duty I owe to the dead who lie
buried fathoms deep off this spot. At Watson’s Bay
I hope to end my days, and I am thankful Eva has
been restored to me to keep me from being lonely
in my declining years.’</p>
<p>Wal Jessop became more reconciled to parting
with Edgar Foster when he heard that Captain
Manton had decided to remain and take a small
cottage at Watson’s Bay.</p>
<p>‘I should have been lost without one of you,’ he
said, ‘and I don’t know what the wife would have
done without Eva. She loves that bairn as much as
if she were her own.’</p>
<p>The day that Edgar sailed for home Captain
Manton and Eva stood on the cliffs at Watson’s
Bay, and watched the great steamer pass slowly
through the Heads. They waved their handkerchiefs,
and Captain Manton, looking through his glasses,
spied Edgar leaning over the rails of the upper-deck
also waving a farewell.</p>
<p>As he saw those two figures on the cliffs, Edgar
Foster felt a sadness creep over him at the thought
that he might never see them again. He watched
them as the steamer ploughed its way south, until
they were mere specks against the sky-line.</p>
<p>As for Captain Manton and Eva, they stood there
until the steamer had disappeared, and only a faint
line of smoke denoted where she had sunk below<span class="pagenum">[282]</span>
the horizon. Then the captain took Eva by the
hand, and led her gently down the rough, steep,
pathway to Wal Jessop’s cottage. He did not feel
lonely, for he had his child to comfort him, and he
knew the remainder of his life would be quiet,
uneventful, and peaceful. He had determined to
devote his life to his child, and to try and teach her
how to be a brave, good woman.</p>
<p>Mrs. Jessop had been a mother to Eva, and she
felt it would be hard to part with her.</p>
<p>‘Try and persuade Captain Manton to stay with
us,’ she said to Wal. ‘We have room for him, and
then I shall not lose Eva.’</p>
<p>Wal Jessop broached the subject to Captain
Manton, who was easily persuaded to fall in with
Mrs. Jessop’s wishes.</p>
<p>‘It will be better for Eva,’ he said, ‘for your wife
has taken her mother’s place. I shall not want
much attention. We old sailors are accustomed to
looking after ourselves and taking things easily, eh,
Wal?’</p>
<p>‘I guess we are,’ replied Wal; ‘I’m right glad
you have decided to stay with us, skipper. I believe
the wife would have broken her heart if you had
taken Eva away from her.’</p>
<p>So Captain Manton and Eva remained at Wal
Jessop’s cottage, and a happy united family they
were.</p>
<p>Leaving Captain Manton and the Jessops, we
must now return to Edgar Foster, who, after a safe<span class="pagenum">[283]</span>
passage home, was once more at his father’s house
at Elm Lodge.</p>
<p>He related how Captain Manton was found, and
excited interest by displaying a number of curiosities
he had secured in the South Seas.</p>
<p>‘I wish Manton had come home with you,’ said
his father; ‘I wanted to see him again.’</p>
<p>‘After all, I think he decided rightly to remain
in Sydney,’ said Edgar. ‘Eva was much attached
to Mrs. Jessop, and Wal will be a good companion
for the captain.’</p>
<p>Naturally, Edgar had not been home long before
he paid a visit to the Wyldes, and he found Muriel
looking more charming than ever. After several
years of travel, Edgar felt it was high time he settled
down and devoted himself to business seriously.
He knew his father was moderately well off, but he
was determined to get his own living, and not rely
upon him. He did not know that Mrs. Wylde was
a wealthy woman, or he would perhaps have felt
some diffidence in proposing to Muriel.</p>
<p>Will Brown and Doris Foster were married soon
after Edgar’s return, and resided in a comfortable
house at Putney.</p>
<p>When Edgar had been at home some time, the
secretary of the M—— Cricket Club died, and
Robert Foster thought it would be a good place for
his son. The salary was excellent, and the work
such as Edgar liked, and knew a good deal about.</p>
<p>At a meeting of the club Edgar’s name came up,<span class="pagenum">[284]</span>
and the committee decided in his favour, at the same
time suggesting that he should play when required.
This suited Edgar’s plans admirably, and it was
somewhat of a novelty to see the secretary of such
a club taking a prominent position in the cricket-field.</p>
<p>Feeling his position secure, and having now an
ample income for his wants, Edgar asked Muriel
Wylde to marry him at an early date, and she consented.
The wedding took place at Twickenham
Church, and never had the sun shone on a prettier
bride, or a more manly-looking bridegroom.</p>
<p>Prosperity dogged Edgar’s footsteps, for he invested
a considerable sum in mines in West Australia,
and being well advised, his speculation proved successful.
As the years rolled on he became a devoted
husband and father, and he taught his sons to be
honest and manly, and to earn for themselves a good
name as lads of mettle.</p>
<p>In the cricket-field Edgar constantly distinguished
himself, and many a century was recorded to his
credit. Through his management the club of which
he was secretary advanced by leaps and bounds,
until financially it stood far above the average run
of clubs, and in the cricket-field had twice held the
honours at the close of the season.</p>
<p>News from Sydney came frequently, and kept
Edgar in touch with the world over the water, for
which he had a great affection.</p>
<p><span class="pagenum">[285]</span></p>
<hr class="tb" />
<p>Many years after Edgar Foster left Sydney for the
last time an old man and a lovely girl were sitting on
the cliffs at Watson’s Bay. Below them the vast
expanse of sea lay calm and still. Hardly a ripple
stirred the placid surface of the water, as it gently
lapped over the smooth worn slabs of rock at the
base of the cliffs. A faint breeze fanned the faces of
the old man and the beautiful girl, and waved his
white beard gently, and caressingly lingered amidst
her silken hair. It was easy to see they were father
and daughter, for she resembled him very much.</p>
<p>They both looked out to sea, and watched the
boats sailing slowly in the calm water. Scores of
yachts and small boats had ventured outside the
Heads on this calm day.</p>
<p>It was Sunday, and there were many people from
Sydney enjoying the cool breeze on the cliffs.
Several of them looked at the gray-bearded man
and his lovely daughter, and there was respect in
their glances, for they knew the history of this inseparable
pair.</p>
<p>Eva Manton had developed into a lovely girl.
The promise of childhood had been fulfilled in
womanhood—for woman she was, although her father
always called her ‘my little girl.’</p>
<p>Captain Manton was ageing rapidly, but still looked
to have many years of life before him. With sturdy
Wal Jessop and his wife he passed life comfortably,
and lived for his daughter, who amply repaid the
affection he bestowed upon her.</p>
<p><span class="pagenum">[286]</span></p>
<p>Eva Manton had her admirers as other girls have,
but she kept them at arm’s length. She meant to
be her father’s companion while he lived, and
thought it no sacrifice upon her part to remain with
him.</p>
<p>Now she could understand all about that terrible
wreck, and how Wal Jessop’s sturdy arms had rescued
Edgar Foster and herself from the rocks below
where they stood.</p>
<p>She often sat there looking down into the depths,
and thought how Edgar Foster had at the risk of
his own life saved hers. Then she would think of
the peril her father had passed through, and of his
wonderful rescue and discovery on the island by
Wal Jessop and Edgar. She felt it was good to be
alive after such trials and sufferings, and she was
thankful for her existence.</p>
<p>‘A letter from Edgar,’ said Wal Jessop one morning
as they all sat in the cottage.</p>
<p>This was an important event, and one always
eagerly looked forward to. Edgar’s letters gave
them all pleasure, they were so bright and cheery,
and full of good news and good wishes.</p>
<p>Wal Jessop read it, and, as usual, had to repeat the
operation.</p>
<p>‘That’s what I call a manly letter,’ said Captain
Manton.</p>
<p>‘He was always a straight goer,’ said Wal Jessop.
‘As a lad he was a manly youngster.’</p>
<p><span class="pagenum">[287]</span></p>
<p>‘He was brave,’ said Eva, ‘and full of courage.
He risked his life for mine.’</p>
<p>‘And for that I am ever grateful,’ said her father.</p>
<p>‘I wish him well,’ said Wal, ‘for he deserves to be
happy. I always thought him a lad of mettle.’</p>
<p class="center p2 smallfont">BILLING AND SONS, PRINTERS, GUILDFORD.</p>
<p> </p>
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