How Tommy His Christmas.

New Zealand Illustrated Magazine, 1 December 1904, Page 222

How Tommy His Christmas.

By " ROLLINGSTONE"

"" /sSjISIsSAHAT larks !" exclaimWMW/rr ed Tommy, as he ntWlll'lP ' °P ene d a letter from rVrtßn^ 1 s °' d hac l ie l° r uncle, WmNl^i. invl^ n^ hi m to s pend Sjpju^fl^. his Christmas away up in the backblocks. < &£ji'\ A cheque was enclosed -•■""*!', of what Tommy rs- *-■' ' garded as phenomenal fatness, and a postscript ptivnitted him to bring up a couple of chums if he thought (it. The invitation was not exactly a surprise. A similar one had arrived at this delectable period of several previous years, the memorable occasion on which Tommy shot a ruffianly old wild bull, will be remembered by constant readers of this Magazine. No, it was not exactly a surprise, but it was a great relief to get the letter, for this had been Tommy's last term at school. He felt himself a man now, and somehow he had a sort of notion that with his school-days, holidays also would vanish, and that his uncle might prefer asking younger lads up to the station. But this doubt dissolved, Tommy, with his mind relieved, hastily scribbled a reply. He hated letter- writing as a rule, and rightly guessed that his uncle would not care to wade through much of his lamentably illegible scrawl, so his note was brief and to the point. Tt began with a line from an old song inverted to suit the occasion. " Dear Uncle make room for your Tommy and two chums. Thanks for the tip. Glad to see wool is up." This was an inference drawn from the

size of the cheque. Tommy rarely studied market reports. A few .similar sentiments hastily scrawled and the note was promptly dispatched. 1 hen Tommy turned his attention to the selection of his associates. He felt prouder and more important than the Premier himself, when he happens to have vacancies on the Ministry to till, for what sane lad would not infinitely prefer the patronage he had to dispense, to a portfolio ? The selection required much thought and consideration. The aspirants to what had hitherto proved a yearly honour were legions as Tommy's long list of prematurely sent Christmas presents abundantly testified. That Tommy placed some value on the perquisites attached to his present position goes without saying, for he ran the list of donors through his mind placing them in carefully graduated order of merit ; but that he was not altogether mercenary, his final selection proved. " Let's see, that purse-proud newchum fellow, Fitz, heads the list, I can't pass him, though he has only been with us one term. The beggar blows so infernally about hunting and shooting at home, and says everything here is so beastly colonial. He gave me the best present, there's no getting away from that. The beggar can well afford it. Besides, he'll give us some good sport, uncle will enjoy taking him down a bit. It won't be playing it too low down on Fitz either, for what he learns will be cheap at the price. Now about the other — let me see.

r i here's young Rhoddy, he's not on the list, but a right-down good chap, .as poor as charity and not a home of any sort to go to. Parents dead, poor begtrar, aunt paid his schooling, and now tells him he's got to look out for work of some kind. Well, he shall have a few weeks enjoyment anyhow, before he starts graft, and uncle might possibly give him a job, so that's settled." Fit/ accepted his invitation as if he were conferring a favour instead ■of receiving one, and was excessively surprised that Tommy had selected such a common fellow as Rhoddy for his other companion. Rhoddy, on the other hand, was exceedingly grateful to Tommy, and •did not really care an atom who accompanied them, so long as he went. The lads received a hearty welcome from the old gentleman when they arrived on the station. He was never happier than when he had young fellows round him. This partiality had gained for him the title of " Governor " amongst all the young fellows of his acquaintance. He made the strange lads feel at home at once, but much to the fastidious, studiously-dressed Mr. Fitz's astonishment, he paid more attention to the quiet lad in the well-worn clothes than he did to himself. "So you're all three leaving 1 school this term, lads, are you ?" he remarked, as they sat that evening in the snug smoking-room quaintly ornamented with the stuffed heads of wild bulls and boars, a grinning Maori skeleton and other curiosities too numerous to mention. " Tommy and I are," replied Fitz, ignoring Rhoddy as of no account. " And what are you going to turn your hands to, my lad V asked the Governor of Rhoddy. " Anything J can get, sir. My parents are dead, but my aunt, who paid for my education, wanted me to try for a clerkship in town. I'd

like to have pleased her, but it went too much against the grain. To tell the truth, had I not received Tommy's kind invitation from you, sir, 1 should have clapped a swag on my back and started off on the wallabi. I know something of farmwork, and 1 want to learn more. Father had a few acres when 1 was a little fellow." Fitz shrugged his shoulders and looked up at the ceiling. " Well done, lad, 1 like your pluck. I'll see what 1 can do for you. Glad you had the sense to keep out of a dirty office. Nothinglike the country for a younu* fellow, though the work is harder. It's a wholesome, healthy life. I'll see if 1 can't fix you up with a job after Christmas." " My governor wishes me to learn farming, sir," interposed Fitz grandly. " He's willing to pay a handsome premium to anyone capable of teaching me. Tommy was saying as we came up that you occasionally took agricultural pupils. It strikes me that station life is just the thing for a gentleman, plenty of sport and riding about, and all that sort of thimr." " Yes. 1 have taken cadets sometimes, and miii'ht again, but let me tell you, lad, though you may think it against my interests to do so, that Rhoddy's method of learningis far better than yours. Farming isn't all riding about and sport, and if that's your idea of it, I guess you'd be rather hard to teach. The man who succeeds best is the one who has done the work himself, and can show his men how- to do it, when occasion arises. I'm open to bet by the look of you two that Rhoddy will beat you hands down in the long run.'' " I don't see how you can compare us, sir, our positions in life are altogether different. Rhoddy's way wouldn't suit me at all." " All right, my lad, I'll write to your father if you make a point oi it ; but we've talked enough about

work for the present, and it's about bedtime." Tommy felt exceedingly envious of the other two when he noticed how pointedly his uncle had left him out of tins discussion. His father's ambition was to see his son a prominent lawyer. Herein Tommy and his dad did not agree. He had been hoping- against hope that his uncle would use his influence on his behalf, get possession of him, and make a farmer of him. But so far the Governor had showed no sign of so doing, merely muttering something about obedience to parents when Tommy had, on previous occasions, broached the subject. But his envious mood changed abruptly to one of high exhilaration — even for him, for as the other lads retired the Governor called Tommy back for a private chat. When he joined Rhoddy in the room they were to share, a short time afterwards, the cause was made manifest. " Look here, Rhoddy, my lad," he exclaimed, "' I've just attained the height of my ambition. I'm to stop here with uncle and learn farming. The jolly old beggar had fixed it all up with dad, but ordered him to keep me in the dark because he wanted the pleasure of giving me a delightful surprise himself. And here have 1 been blaming the old boy all along for not taking my part ! I deserve to be kicked, that's what I do ! "We'll have a grand time here together, old man, won't we ?" " Rather, Tommy. I'm delighted to hear it. But you must remember that you'll be an agricultural pupil, as Fitz calls it, and flying- about with him, while T shall only be a rouseabout and have to earn my wayes." "' That Ye hanged, Rhoddy ! Look here, a brilliant idea struck me when uncle was saying yours was the best way of learning farming. We'll take contracts from uncle, and let Fitz have the flying about to himself. Right away back, in the

big bush, there's a mob of wild cattle, some of uncle's that have strayed away, and they've never been able to get them in. 1 always said they never went the right way to wont. He offered a pound a head last year, and the Maoris had a try at it, but they only got a few calves and yearlings that they caught with their dogs, and tied up and starved till they got them quiet enough to lead out. Now my idea is to get woll in behind the beggars and keep hustling them along day after day, till they (md the bush too hot to hold them. It'll be a tough contract — we'll have to carry a blanket and tucker — we can catch a wild pig or two if we run short. We'll take old -Jack, the cattle-dog, he'll trot alonir ahead of us and keep us on the right trail, we'll have to lie down on the track at night, and be up and after them again first thing in the morning, keeping them always on the move and weary the lives out of them. Are you game, Rhoddy ? It'll be devilish hard work, 1 know, but it's to be done. There's no credit in tackling an easy job. If we've anything like the luck 1 expect, we'll make a thumping cheque out of it." " Yes ; I'm with you, Tommy. Nothing I'd like better," exclaimed Ehoddy. They lay awake half the night discussing the details of the coming campaign. They decided to be very independent. They would get their own horses. Tommy's Christmas cheque could be expended that way. The amount necessary for Rhoddy' s mount could be deducted from the result. A Maori boy was to be hired for a trifle to look after the nags and patrol the edge of the bush with a few quiet cows as a decoy, where the cattle were likely to break cover, so that the lads could mount and keep the wild mob from breaking back to the bush. Next morning the two lads interviewed the Governor with an extremely 'business-like air. He thought the scheme an admirable one, and

said that he had always known it could be done, if only worked systematically and on the right lines. His only stipulation was that they were not to start work till . after the New Year, they must enjoy a good holiday first. Both boys in their eagerness declared that they would ask no better holiday than this promised to be, but the old gentleman was inexorable. " Look here, lads," he concluded, " as Tommy says, 1 offered a pound a head last year, but beef is up now, and the beasts are a year older and more valuable. I'll gladly double the figure. It'll pay me well to do so. I want to clear that mob right out ; while they're there others are always joining them. And Rhocidy, mind one thing. I don't know much about you, but Tommy's a fine bushman, you'll never get lost if you stick to him, don't lose sight of him, whatever you do. He knows every inch of that bush, and understands every dod^'e of steering his way even better than I do, and that's saying a good deal. The next few weeks of anticipation were glorious ones to both Tommy and Rhoddy. They felt that they were now men about to undertake a job which would task all their abilities to the utmost, and if successful give them ample return for their labour. They were realising the fact that money earned by one's own honest exertions is infinitely preferable to that which one receives from other sources, and the fact that it was their first experience in this line, gave it immeasurable added zest. Tommy already loved the great solitudes of the 'bush and all that they contained. To Khoddy the bush was a vast, unexplored wonderland into which he longed to dive. The petty cares and small economies of his school-days were fast dropping from him in this great, free vista that was opening- up before him. Fitz, when first he heard of the cattle-hunting, declared he would

Vol. XT.— No. 3.— 15.

join in the sport. But this was before he grasped the nature of it. He had understood cattle-hunting was always done on horseback. Tramping for days in the bush was too much like hard work for him. The Governor did not at first approve of the lads buying their own horses, but Tommy explained that both he and Khoddy would be far happier if they really owned the horses they rode. The old gentleman had not the heart to object to anything which had this end in view. Tommy bought a colt cheap from a cadet on a neighbouring station, which had defied all his owner's efforts to ride him. He had been christened " Firefly " by one of the many rough-riders who had taken him in hand and given him up as incurable. Tommy surprised the animal intensely. He was prepared for another contest of brute force. He expected Tommy to mount him immediately and try severe measures forthwith. But the lad did nothing of the sort. He started to work as he would with an unbroken colt, put the breaking tackle on him, and let him stand about the yard for a few days, till Firefly wished he would hurry up and come to the Doint. Then he exchanged the tackle for a saddle and gave him another few days with that on. When he did condescend to mount and ride a few times round the yard it was without whip or spurs, and so quietly that Firefly, much to his surprise, could not possibly find it in his heart to object. There was something about Tommy's quiet but firm methods that utterly disarmed opposition, for after a few days he could ride the colt anywhere, and he would follow him like a dog. Fitz pooh-poohed the idea that Firefly had ever been really rowdy, and laughed at Tommy's careful treatment and want of pluck to mount the animal earlier. Tommy could not stand this, he bet Fitz a new hat that he wouldn't sit

him for live consecutive minutes, even now. Fitz took the bet readily, but brought out his own saddle -that he had with him, a fiapless, English hunting saddle, .declaring he couldn't bear the beastly Colonial thing that Tommy used. Tommy won his bet, with quite four minutes and a half to spare. Tommy held the animal for Fitz to mount, but the moment Tommy let go of his head, and Firefly recognised that he had a stranger on his back, he tucked his head under his forelegs, and his tail under his hind ones, arched his back, gave one spasmodic bound, and Fitz was shot into the air like a pebble from a catapult. The ground was fairly soft where he fell, and his dignity received the severer hurt. Rhoddy was bent on preventing Tommy from spending much on his mount. A Maori boy had a pony lie wanted to sell. Tt was a ragged, weedy little rat of a thing, apparently constructed of wire and whalebone. The owner declared he had once won a Maori pony race. Rhoddy laughed at the idea, but tried him, and found he had a surprising amount of go in him. Khoddy was a light-weight, so after getting Tommy's opinion on his soundness, three pounds changed hands, and Kiore (The Rat) was Rhoddy's. Fitz was not to be outdone. He also must have a horse of his own, but of a superior class entirely. He met a young fellow riding a horse, named Fleetwing— a thoroughbred, sold out of a crack racing stable in town, but quite good enough to win the big events at little bush meetings, his owner declared. Fifty pounds was the price asked. Fitz said he was above haggling; about a little matter like that, and at once drew *on his father for the amount, declaring the horse dirt cheap at the price. Tommy's opinion was not asked on this occasion, but he save it very unreservedly and entirely unfavourably. Mtz-'s retort was an offer to back Fleetwing

against Tommy's Firefly for a fiver, which offer Tommy promptly accepted. The Governor heard of it, and applauded. He was fond of a bit of sport of this description, and much to Fitz's surprise and scorn, insisted that Kiore should be in it too, the winner to draw the stakes. Rhoddy pleaded poverty, but the Governor insisted on putting down the fiver himself. Rhoddy felt that he could not offend his host by refusing-, but felt sorry that he should lose his money, and said so. " Money be hanged ! It's the sport 1 look at," retorted the Governor gaily. The course was once round a fine grass paddock, the Governor was appointed judge, and a stationhand, starter. Fitz was cocksure of pulling oft' the prize, and Tommy no less so. Rhoddy, on the other hand, rode out in a discontented spirit. He did not see any fun in courting certain defeat, and felt annoyed with the Governor for his insistence. Fleetwing sprang away with a good lead. He had been raced before. Fitz looked back with undisguised scorn at his competitors as the distance widened between them. Tommy was in no hurry to catch him, and Rhoddy, in the rear, was amazed to see that Kiore was not further behind. Half the course was run in this order, then Tommy noticed that Fleetwing was slackening his pace notwithstanding his rider's efforts to keep him going. Firefly required no urging. Round the third side of the paddock they flew. Kiore, to his rider's increasing surprise, kept close at Firefly's heels. He felt that he would not 'be so disgracefully beaten after all. Half way down the last side Firefly and Kiore flashed past Fleetwing, who was already in trouble. That was joy unspeakable to Tommy and Rhoddy. The wiry little Kiore was still going strong at Firefly's heels, and Rhoddy had not once touched him with whip or spur. Then it

suddenly seemed to occur to Rhoddy, that he had a chance of winningafter all, and like a flash the same impression seemed to strike Kiore, even before Rhoddy's whip was applied persuasively rather then forcibly. Tommy regarded the race as won as he tore up to the judge, but he was too confident, for with a line spurt Kiore got his nose in front at the Finish. The Governor was delighted. " Never saw a better finish ridden by a professional, my lad," he exclaimed, grasping fthoddy's hand warmly. Ah ! you cunning beggar, you caught me napping ! .If 1 hadn't been so cocksure, 1 could have won -easily," was Tommy's outspoken comment. " It doesn't matter a scrap how I caught you, Tommy, as long as I did it," said the jubilant Rhoddy, as he picked a handful of crisp fern and began carefully rubbing down the pony's dripping coat. " Superior jockey ship, Tommy. You can't get away from that, so it's no good trying," said the old man. " You are pretty smart generally. Do you good to be taken down." Seeing himself hopelessly beaten, Fitz had pulled up. As he rode leisurely up, he muttered something about the " beastly rough Colonial course. Only lit for Maori scrubbers, no wonder a decent horse ooiildn't run on it." " You'll never be hanged for want of an excuse, Fitz," said the Governor, with a roar of laughter, in which the other lads joined. He added sotto voce, " but I wouldn't like to guarantee you total exemption." As in duty bound the Governor handed the stakes over to Rhoddy. The lad objected. " You put down the stake, sir, so tlie moneys yours, I couldn't take it, really." But at this the Governor waxed so Avrath that Rhoddy took it meekly. " I wouldn't hurt the dear old

chap's feelings on any consideration. I'd sooner hurt my own/ lie said to himself as he nimbly pocketed the prize. Tommy and Rhoddy were enjoying their visit immensely, but Fitz was not. His feeling of superiority was constantly getting badly hurt. Jt did not matter what sport they tried, not only Tommy, but that detestable Rhoddy invariably uot the better of him. He flattered himself that he was a splendid shot with a rifle, but when it came to a test, Tommy and Rhoddy both beat him rather badly. On one occasion Tommy, whose reputation was an excellent one, broke all previous records. He took the hind legs off a spider at two hundred yards. This sounds tall, but it actually occurred. There was the spider for a witness on the edge of the bullet-hole on a fence post, minus his latter legs. There could be no possible mistake about that. The mistake was certainly the spider's, who, being country-bred and not used to dodging tram cars as our present-day citizens are, had been a little premature in crossing the bullet's track. Then Tommy jocularly boasted of the exploit, Fitz, thinking he was in earnest, exclaimed : " But you didn't see the spider." Tommy coolly replied : "There's no credit in hitting a thing you can see, any bally new chum with a good eye could do that." On Christmas Eve the Governor and his guests were invited to a dance given by a neighbouring station-holder who had three daughters. The youngest was a budding little dark-eyed beauty, who took Fitz's fastidious fancy immensely. He regarded her as the only girl in the room who was not beastly colonial, and flattered himself that he would have a good time with her. But she evidently had the execrable bad taste to prefer that common brute Rhoddy, he couldn't possibly conceive what everyone saw in the cad. When he did get a dance with

her, and gave her his views on colonials and their colony, instead of taking them at their proper value as coming from one entirely unprejudiced, and therefore able to judge, she positively ridiculed them and him in the most atrocious manner. Poor Fitz, he was taken down at every turn. With amusement of every "variety, from pig-hunting to picnics with the girls from the neighbouring static m, the holidays passed quickly. Fitz's father had been written to, 'but before negotiations were concluded, Fitz had come to the conclusion that the life would not suit him at all — it was too beastly colonial. The Governor was not disappointed, still, on bidding him adieu, he hospitably gave him a general invitation to come again whenever he felt inclined. " T don't think Fit/ had a very good time, lads," he remarked, as they watched him rifle away, "but it's certainly been his own fault. We've done our best to entertain him, but he's never happy unless lie's cock of the walk, and it'd take a very game bird to be that here, when fellows like you are about." The lads started on their cattlehunting expedition in high spirits. They carried a light blanket each, provisions and pannikins. A long day's tramp through a grand piece of bush brought them to the spot where Tommy thought they might find the cattle, but so far no recent tracks had been seen. About noon the next day old Jack, who had hitherto shown little interest in anything, pricked up his ears suddenly and looked sagaciously round at the lads. Ehoddy declared he winked. A few moments after Tommy, whose hearing like that of all good bushmen was very acute, declared he heard the cracking of branches, but not a hoof mark could be seen. "' They're just ahead of us. We'll have, to creep round behind them," said Tommy. They took a wide circuit, and

came across their tracks. Creeping" up very quietly, they could hardly suppress a shout of delight. Dotted about here and there — some lazily feeding on the succulent karaka boughs which they cleverly twisted off with their horns, others taking a noontide rest — were a number of magnificent cattle of all colours, rolling fat, with coats as sleek as a race-horse's from constant brushing through thick underscrub. As the sun sent shimmering rays down here and there through the dancing foliage, Rhoddy thought he had never seen a prettier sight. Safely yarded that mob would make any stockowner's mouth water. But much skill and cunning must be exercised to get them yarded. " A. score at least, most of 'em urand four and live-year- old steers," pronounced Tommy. "By thunder,. We're in luck !" Before ttistur.:ini>' them the lads sat down and eat a hasty meal. Then they gradually made their presence known. In an instant the stillness of the bush was broken by an inconceivable rattle of horns against branches, snapping of supplejacks and underscrub, and thunder of hoofs, as with one accord the' mob dashed ofl" at speed. The lads followed smartly, old Jack keeping the trail in front, obedient to Tommy's instructiors to restrain himself, but looking back ever and anon with impatient pity at his master, who, for all the boasted superiority of his race, seemed to him so infernally slow in his movements. " Mustn't let him get at 'em, or they'd split up in twos and threes, and that wouldn't do at any price," grunted Tommy. " Besides, he's rouse 'em along so's they'd get too far ahead and have time to feed." All that afternoon and evening, as long as they had light enough to follow the old dog, they stuck to the trail, every now and then catching up to the mob, and causing another stampede. As darkness fell, they cut fern-tree leaves, and laying them in the hollow between the

raised roots of a giant rata, they rolled themselves in their blankets after a refreshing tea, and slept the sleep they had so well earned. At dawn Tommy woke. He felt the night had not been half long enough, but that was a mere detail. Rhoddy was roused, a hasty breakfast dispatched, and ofV they went again. In a bush which stretched away indefinitely it was impossible to keep the cattle always in the right direction, but Tommy had a device which acted splendidly, and kept them in something approaching the way they should go. He had often amused his school-mates by fairly successful attempts at ventriloquism. He certainly had a gift that way. Each time they came up to the mob lie exercised his lusty lungs sending 1 his voice to the right or left as occasion demanded, and made that part of the bush hideous with unearthly discord. Rhoddy seized this opportunity of taking lessons, and was a fairly apt pupil. Old Jack swelled the chorus, though his strong point was time rather than tune. The instant they began he was on his haunches, looking heavenward, and emitting most dismal howls. Towards the end of the second day, the cattle thinking anything preferable to this demon-infested bush, made for the open country, and joined the cows they saw grazing contentedly on the juicy young fern. " There are the quiet cows, all right," exclaimed Rhoddy, " but that young scamp of a Maori isn't here with the horses, confound him !" " I'll bet he isn't far away, he's not such a fool as to be in sight," replied Tommy. The words were hardly out of his mouth before thevHieard a gentle cooee from a little clump of ferntrees, and in a few seconds they were mounted, whirs in hand. The Maori of course had his own horse.

Not a moment too soon, for the wild mob, after a sniff or two at the decoys, did not approve of the odour of civilisation about them. With one accord they turned tail and made a break for the bush again, and the three lads had their work cut out for them to frustrate the attempt. With demonaical yells and sharp cracking of stockwhips, they tore hither and thither after the maddened cattle. Just as Rhoddy thought he was beaten by an enormous brindle brute, a uirl dashed up at a wild gallop, and u-ave him the assistance he sorely wanted. Jt was the little belle of the ball. She was a splendid horsewoman, and her mount a perfect stockhorse. Twisting- and turning about at full gallop, she performed evolutions which Khoddy admitted put him completely in the shade, and baffled the onrush of the unruly brindle so effectually that he slunk back into the mob. Safe at last in the yard, the Governor came to inspect. "' Twenty prime beef beasts, a splendid haul, my lads ! Didn't expect you for a fortnight at least. A forty-pound cheque in three days. Good going, eh ! There can't be more than a score or so of the brutes left ; you'll finish the contract in a week at this rate. But you deserve all you get, my word you do, you young warriors !" It took the lads considerably over the week, however, before all the stragglers were in, but they effectually cleared the bush before they gave up the job. They took a number of other contracts, embracing every description of work, from the Governor before they started in partnership in a small way on their own account. Rhoddy always felt that he never could be sufficiently thankful to Tommy for oettintr him that Christmas invitation, and often told him so. And Toramv invariably chimed in with, " Nor T, lad, that the idea struck me at the nick of time !"