A BIG SHEEP FARM. 331

stupidly wondering what these folks were up to, and then giving sev-
eral tremendous leaps, they bounded away in a style that mocked
all would-be pursuers, and were lost among the gum-trees. The ride
was resumed. _

“ Trees, trees, trees!” said Uncle Nat.

“Yes, but in a couple of hours you will see something beside
bush,” replied his host.

At the end of two hours, Uncle Nat looking up, saw a— house!

“ What’s that, Sam ?”

“That? It looks like a house, doesn’t it? That is our stopping-place.”

“ Your place?” |

“Yes, it must be mine, for it belongs to no one else.”

It was a two-story house, a veranda bordering the front side.
Back of it, and on either side, were grouped various buildings; a
kitchen, house for servants, stable and carriage-house.

Mr. Bright’s wife,a young woman in a blue dress, her arms full
of a fat baby, came out to the veranda and welcomed them.

“There will be time before dark,” said Mr. Bright, “to take a
stroll on my place, if you would like to go. We will have something
to eat, though, first.” ;

After a lunch, Mr. Bright took his visitors out-doors again.

“There,” he said, looking about him, “this is my home-paddock, and
by that the boys will understand just an enclosure. I may have about
sixty acres here. It is all fenced in quite securely, and it gives my
horses a chance to run about ; and to catch the four or five that are
loose, I keep one in the stable. These are for personal or home use.
Now we will cross this paddock, and just beyond comes a second, that
may enclose three hundred acres, and I keep my working horses here ;
about thirty. Next to this is my wool-shed paddock; and halloo! there
is a sign of it among those trees.”