CHAPTER TEN.
A MORNING DIP.
"Had a good night's rest, my boy ?" "Night's rest ?" stammered Nic.
"Yes; you have been asleep eight hours, I should say." Nic stared.
"Like a bath?
Do you good.

Get a towel, and have a plunge into the pool.

Don't be more than a quarter of an hour gone.

Can you swim ?" "Yes, father," said Nic, who felt stiff and shivery; and as he climbed up under the waggon-cover for the towel, he wished bathing had never been invented.
Getting down and making for the water-hole, he came upon Brookes, who was carrying an armful of wood for the fire, and he saluted the boy with: "Going to have a dip ?" "Yes." "Hope you'll like it.

Don't ketch me at it." His face was only dimly seen reflecting the light of the fire; but recalling what he had seen, Nic could not help feeling that the stock man did not use water much for outward application.
Half-way to the hole he met the black, who said something incomprehensible, to which Nic answered with "good morning," and hurried on to the bank, down in the hollow along which the river ran.
There was a thin, whitish mist just visible over the water, which looked horribly black and cold, making the boy feel as if he would have given anything to evade the morning duty.
"Why not shirk it ?" he said to himself.