edgar foster accompanied wal jessop to sydney, in order to give evidence before the marine board as to the cause of the disaster to the distant shore. he found he was the cynosure of all eyes on the ferry-boat, for the morning papers had given a glowing account of his bravery in saving eva.
wal jessop felt proud of the fine lad by his side, who had so quickly recovered from his exertions, and seemed to have almost forgotten the horrors of the wreck in looking at the beautiful scene he now saw for the first time.
as the ferry-boat left the landing-stage at watson’s bay, wal jessop pointed out the narrow passage through the heads, and edgar saw with wondering[84] eyes how near the ill-fated ship had been to the harbour of refuge.
‘if we could only have been driven through that passage instead of on to the rocks,’ said edgar, ‘we might all have been alive now.’
‘it was a terrible thing to go down so near home,’ said wal jessop. ‘this is one of the best and safest harbours in the world.’
‘i have heard a good deal about it,’ said edgar, smiling, ‘but i am not surprised at the enthusiastic way in which people praise its beauties. all i have heard or read gave me a very faint idea of the reality, which is far beyond any expectation i had formed.’
‘i’m glad to hear that,’ replied wal jessop. ‘people at times are apt to consider we “blow” too much about our harbour.’
‘too much praise cannot be bestowed upon a scene like this,’ said edgar.
when they arrived at circular quay, wal jessop took his companion to the marine board offices, where he left him, and went to send a cablegram to edgar’s father.
edgar gave his account of the wreck in a manner that at once won the respect of captain fife and the members of the board. he modestly put his own courageous conduct in the background, and spoke of captain manton in such a manner that it left no doubt upon the minds of his hearers that everything had been done that was possible to save the ship. edgar’s description of the wreck and the bravery of wal jessop was given in a simple, straightforward style.
captain fife watched edgar narrowly, and came to the conclusion he was a lad to be trusted, and also a lad who had received a good education. after the board meeting he took edgar into his private office, and asked him what he intended to do.
‘i hardly know at present,’ replied edgar, ‘but i have no doubt i shall be able to obtain some kind of work until i can look round.’
‘your name seems familiar to me,’ said captain fife.
‘probably,’ said edgar, smiling, ‘if you are a lover of cricket.’
captain fife jumped up from his chair, and said in astonishment:
‘surely you are not the son of robert foster, who captained the last english eleven against our team at lord’s?’
‘i am,’ said edgar, ‘and proud of it.’
‘and well you may be, my lad,’ said captain fife. ‘the son of such a sterling, manly cricketer as robert foster will not lack friends in australia. i suppose it is needless to ask if you play?’
‘i am very fond of the game,’ said edgar, ‘and was captain of my school when i left.’
‘we must give you a trial here,’ said captain fife, ‘but in the meantime i must try and find you something to do.’ he thought for a few moments, and then said: ‘how would you like to go up country for a time? i have an interest in a station in the west, and i think you would enjoy the life. it is very quiet, but the change would in itself be a novelty to you.’
‘i should like it immensely,’ said edgar; ‘i do not care much for a town life.’
‘i believe you lost everything in the wreck?’ said captain fife.
‘yes,’ replied edgar. ‘wal jessop has sent a cablegram to my father, stating i am safe, and also that i lost all, so i have no doubt he will send me out a draft by an early mail to cover expenses. i do not wish to draw upon my father continually, and i came out here to earn my living if possible.’
‘glad to hear it,’ said captain fife. ‘we have too many young fellows out here who live upon money sent them from home. it is a mistaken kindness, as it causes them to rely upon others instead of themselves, and self-reliance a man must have to get on in this world.’
edgar was much impressed with what captain fife said, and knew it was sound advice he gave.
‘my father always taught me to hold my own,’ said edgar, ‘and to do what is right. of course i got into scrapes sometimes at school, but i never shirked the consequences. i fought a lad called bully rakes, and beat him, the first week i was at redbank. i was in the right, and therefore i felt confident of success, although he was a much stronger lad.’
‘so you can box as well as play cricket,’ said captain fife, smiling; ‘you’ll get on all right here, i can see. can you ride well?’
‘fairly well,’ said edgar. ‘i followed the hounds during the holidays when i had an opportunity. i should like to have a chance in the cricket-field here.’
‘so you shall,’ said captain fife. ‘i will take care your going up country does not injure your prospects in that line. we have a very good team on the station, and you will have plenty of practice to keep your hand in. some of our best men have been drawn from up country.’
it was decided that edgar, after a week’s stay in sydney with wal jessop, should go up to yanda, and try how the life suited him.
‘i will advance you enough money to keep you going,’ said captain fife, ‘and you can repay me when you have “knocked up a cheque,” as we say here.’
edgar left captain fife’s office feeling he had been most fortunate. his heart was heavy when he thought of the distant shore and those on board who had lost their lives. he could hardly realize, as he walked the streets of sydney, how near he had been to death, and that only a day or two ago. he met wal jessop, and told him what captain fife had done.
‘he’s a good sort,’ said wal—‘a regular out-and-outer. you’ll have a real good time at yanda. it’s different to many stations, for the hands up there all pull together, and, my eye! don’t they turn out some good sports. why, tom trundle, one of the best fast bowlers we ever had in the new south wales team, came from yanda. how he learned to bowl up there, blest if i know! but that he had learned he quickly proved when he tried his hand on the association ground. i’ll never forget that match,’ went on wal, warming to his work, as this was one of his favourite topics. ‘tommy was picked to play for the country against the town, and the way he made some of the crack players’ stumps fly was a caution. frank rarey was a good bat—about our best—but the country chap sent frank’s middle stump turning summersaults in the air like a clown in a circus. it was as good as a pipe of ‘bacca after a day’s hard graft to see the expression on frank’s face when he saw that stump fly. he looked at tom, and he looked at the shattered wicket. then he walked into the dressing-room and meditated. when the innings was ended frank went up to tom and said:
‘“you’re a wonder, trundle. you’ll have to play for the colony next time.”
‘sure enough he did,’ added wal; ‘and bless me if he didn’t come off first pop. he took seven of the victorian wickets in the very next match we had against that colony.’
‘something like a triumph,’ said edgar, who listened to wal’s recital with all the ardour of a schoolboy. ‘i only hope i may come off as well as he did when i have the luck to play for the colony.’
‘did captain fife say anything about it?’ asked wal. ‘he’s a rare one for cricket, and, in fact, all sorts of sport.’
‘he said if i went up country it would not prejudice my chance in the cricket-field,’ said edgar.
‘nor will it,’ said wal. ‘it will be far better for you to go up country than remain hanging about town.’
‘i shall have to leave eva behind until some of captain manton’s friends have been communicated with. my father will probably see to that when he learns the news. i must write him a long letter by the next mail, and tell him all about the wreck and how bravely pilot jessop acted.’
‘ay,’ said wal, with a smile, ‘and if i were you i’d just send him a few papers in order to let him see how well his son behaved. that would only be fair. as for the little lass, she’s welcome to stop with us as long as she’s allowed. it will be a sore trial to my wife to part with her. you see, we have no bairn of our own,’ added wal, with a wistful sigh.
‘she could not be in better hands,’ said edgar. ‘i suppose,’ he asked, as a sudden idea occurred to him, ‘there is no possible chance of anyone being saved from the wreck? i mean, do you think it possible anyone could have drifted out to sea on a portion of the wreck and been picked up by a passing boat?’
‘that’s not possible, i think,’ said wal. ‘no boat left the harbour next day, and the storm was so bad, i hardly think anyone could have lived through it out at sea.’
‘it was just a thought occurred to me,’ said edgar. ‘i know every search has been made, but one clings to hope, even after all hope has gone.’
wal jessop took edgar round sydney, and showed him several sights. the more edgar saw of the city, the more he marvelled at its wondrous growth. he had been taught much at school about the colonies, but he had no idea such vast cities as sydney lay on the other side of the world. young though he was, he saw at once how greatly such possessions as australia must enhance the power and importance of the mother-country. he saw how widespread the influence and example of england was, and every name and building tended to revive some association with the old country.
as he sat in the botanical gardens with wal jessop, looking over the lovely expanse of harbour before them, and the hills and bays of the opposite shore, he said:
‘it is only a lad’s opinion, but i think we are not taught sufficient about our country’s great possessions abroad when we are at school.’
‘perhaps not,’ said wal; ‘but on this side of the world our youngsters are taught more about old england than australia.’
‘that should not be,’ said edgar. ‘every child ought to have a thorough knowledge of his own country, and, from what little i know of it, the history of australia must be vastly interesting.’
‘it is,’ said wal, ‘and i have managed to scrape together a good deal about it. the early settlers here had no easy time, but they did well, and laid the foundation of a promising colony upon a lot of bad material. you would hardly think to look at it now that sydney, a century ago, was a convict settlement of only a few huts, and inhabited by desperate criminals, many of whom were more like fiends than human beings.’
‘there are not many traces of those days left?’ said edgar questioningly.
‘no,’ said wal, ‘and it is far better they should be obliterated. now, in tasmania you see more of it. you would find port arthur a curious old place. it gave me the horrors the first time i saw it.’
they chatted on for some time. wal jessop was a good talker, and interested a lad of edgar’s age. edgar foster was a manly boy, not a boy developed into a man before his time by a forcing process, as too often is the case in this age of rapid progress.
on reaching home again, wal jessop explained to his wife how edgar had been received by captain fife.
‘you’ll not object to keep the little lass here,’ said wal, ‘while edgar goes up country for a few months?’
‘i should like to keep her for my own,’ said mrs. jessop. ‘she is a dear child, and will be a joy to our home.’
‘she is a lovable little thing,’ said edgar, ‘and i am sure will give you no trouble. i do not know whether captain manton had any relations in england, but i imagine he had. in any case, we shall hear something before very long. i know i shall leave her in safe hands.’
‘that you may rest assured of,’ said mrs. jessop; ‘and i hope you will have a good time up country. captain fife has evidently taken a fancy to you, and he’s a man worth knowing.’
‘that he is, mary,’ said her husband; ‘and many’s the good turn he’s done me.’
‘which you thoroughly deserved,’ said edgar, with a smile.
