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SOME VISITORS.
After breakfast next morning Mary decided to spend the day in the company of the children, who were having holidays.
"Just as well for you to learn the house firsts" said Hugh, "before you tackle the property.

The youngsters know where everything is--within four miles, anyhow." Two little girls were impressed, and were told to take Miss Grant round and show her the way about the place; and they set off together in the bright morning sunlight, on a trip of exploration.
Now, no true Australian, young or old, ever takes any trouble or undergoes any exertion or goes anywhere without an object in view.

So the children considered it the height of stupidity to walk simply for the sake of walking, and kept asking where they were to walk to.
"What shall we see if we go along this road ?" asked Miss Grant, pointing with her dainty parasol along the wheel-track that meandered across the open flat and lost itself in the timber.
"Nothing," said both children together.
"Then, what is there up that way ?" she asked, waving her hand up towards the foothills and the blue mountains.

"There must be some pretty flowers to look at up there ?" "No, there isn't," said the children.
"Well, let us go into the woods and see if we can't find something," she said determinedly; and with her reluctant guides she set off, trudging across the open forest through an interminable vista of gum trees.
After a while one of the girls said, "Hello, there's Poss!" Miss Grant looked up, and saw through the trees a large and very frightened bay horse, with a white face.