And when we reached the drays, she was sitting with her hands folded before her in serene misery.
"Mary," said the Major, "here are two old friends." He had no time to say more, for she, recognising Jim, sprang up, and, running to him, burst into hysterical weeping.
"Oh, my good old friend!" she cried; "oh, my dear old friend! Oh, to meet you here in this lonely wilderness! Oh, James, my kind old brother!" I saw how his big heart yearned to comfort his old sweetheart in her distress.

Not a selfish thought found place with him.

He could only see his old love injured and abandoned, and nought more.
"Mary," he said, "what happiness to see you among all your old friends come to live among us again! It is almost too good to believe in.
Believe me, you will get to like this country as well as old Devon soon, though it looks so strange just now.

And what a noble boy, too! We will make him the best bushman in the country when he is old enough." So he took the child of his rival to his bosom, and when the innocent little face looked into his, he would see no likeness to George Hawker there.

He only saw the mother's countenance as he knew her as a child years gone by.
"Is nobody going to notice me or my boy, I wonder ?" said Mrs.Buckley.
"Come here immediately, Mr.Stockbridge, before we quarrel." In a very short time all our party were restored to their equanimity, and were laying down plans for pleasant meetings hereafter.