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knocked him out more, he says that himself so it is not Tellings. But he can still teach, he says I shape well, he didn’t say that till we said Goodbye but I think he means it he is a very honest person, he was furieux because I said in fun that I hadn’t learnt anything from him so I was going to George Seale because he teaches better (He does not).

“I like droving, even in wet weather, and you get well paid too ₤3 a week, that is not bad. I did not get that at first of course but afterwards I was alone with Bill and he gave me the same as a man. I am spending it now. It is nearly all gone, when I came to Sydney again I made arrangements and I have been going out in a sailing boat in the daytime and to a night school in the evenings, now I have signed on the Minnie S. Garland, she sails for Frisco next Thursday, if you write to the Post Office there I shall get the letter, please write, we shall have a slow voyage. There is to be one other boy on her. I got it through a Parson here who belongs to the Seamen’s Mission.

“I have been going out with some boys here, in the boat, larrikins I suppose they are. Someday I am coming back to see you. I dont forget.

“Yours faithfully

“Antony St. Croix.”

He was nearly fourteen now, and Australia had been good to him; he felt strong and very fit. He would not have written to Robertson if he had not had cheerful news to tell. When he looked back on the months of droving they seemed sheer pleasure, long days and wakeful nights all melted into one warm dream. Even the weeks before Bill Hooker picked him up had not been bad, though he was tramping bush-tracks and living even more than usual from hand to mouth. It was spring-time; the air was full of