Jean, Our Little Australian CousinNixon-Roulet, Mary F.
General
Jean, Our Little Australian Cousin
Nixon-Roulet, Mary F.
Children -- Australia -- Juvenile literature
"I'm sorry it hurts at all, darling," her mother held her close. "You
were a good child and brave not to cry. Crawl up in the hammock now and
take a nap, and you will feel better when you wake up."
"I hope Fergus and Sandy won't do anything very interesting while I am
asleep," the little girl murmured drowsily, as she dropped off to
sleep.
Fergus and Sandy undoubtedly would. They were very kind to Jean, but
there was no doubt that they found the little girl a clog upon their
movements. Fergus was used to taking care of her, but Sandy had no
sisters and he sometimes wished the little cousin would not tag quite so
much.
"You can't really do anything much when a girl is tagging around," he
said to his mother, but that long-suffering woman proved strangely
unsympathetic.
"I think I shall keep Jean always if her being here keeps you out of
mischief," she said with a smile, and Sandy answered,
"Well, keep Fergus too, then."
No sooner was Jean asleep than the boys decided the time had come for
them to carry out a plan long since formed, but laid aside for a
convenient season. At one side of the run was a little lake, formed
where one of the boundary streams was dammed. A windmill carried water
from this to a platform and upon this were iron tanks from which pipes
carried water through the house. The boys had decided to climb to the
top of the reservoir and slide down the pipes, which seemed to them
would be an exciting performance. The climbing up was not difficult and
Sandy took the first slide.
"It's great fun," he shouted. "Let me have another!" as he clambered up
again.
"It's my turn," cried Fergus, astride of the pipe.
"Let me. You wait," said Sandy, who was used to playing alone and not to
having any-one dispute with him.
"I tell you it's my turn!" Fergus' temper rose. "You don't play fair."
There was a scramble and a cry, both boys lost their balance and fell,
and the sound of breaking glass crashed through the air.
Both mothers rushed to the scene to find two pairs of arms and legs
waving wildly from the hot-bed, while broken glass was scattered hither
and yon.
"You dreadful boys, you have fallen right into the flower beds and
broken the glass! Are you badly hurt?" cried Mrs. McDonald, as each
mother dragged out a son.
Very crestfallen were the boys as they stood up, their faces covered
with scratches and Sandy's hand badly cut.
"What were you doing?" asked both mothers sternly.
"Sliding down the water pipe," said Sandy.
"Quarrelling," said Fergus.
"Nice way to spend the morning," said Mr. McDonald, who appeared at that
moment from the stables. "Go and get washed up and we'll see if you have
any broken glass in your cuts."
When the damages were repaired neither boy was found to be much hurt,
but Jean begged so hard that they should not be punished, that the two
were let off for that time.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account