Australian Tales - Setis

provisions, a keg of water, and sundries. After all the ladies were
comfortably seated, and Mr. M'Faddle had scraped his way through a
mass of muslin and steel bars to his seat at the helm, the boat was pushed
off, and away they went right merrily, though slowly, with the two young
M'Faddles at the paddles, and Archy Twist sitting, tailor-fashion, in the
head sheets, smoking his pipe, and joking the boys on their pulling.
The morning was warm and sunny, with a light puffy breeze from
north-west; and not one of the excited pleasure seekers had the slightest
misgivings about the weather, for the sky above them was blue, the
rippling water around them was flashing with sun beams, and their hearts
were all full of holiday thoughts and hopes. What if they had left empty
cupboards at home, had they not two full baskets in the boat? Let care of
to-morrow wait till to-morrow, they were going to enjoy themselves today.
So thought every leaping heart, as away splashed the boat under
Pyrmont Bridge, and along the eastern shore, Archy Twist keeping a
good look out for ferry steamers and mooring buoys. As the tide was at
strong flood, and the boat was bluff bowed and heavy, the young
M'Faddles soon began to show symptoms of distress, and by the time
they had pulled abreast of Blue's Point, they were purple with over
exertion, and perspiring like stokers raking out clinkers.
“That's richt, tak it easy, laddies,” said Mr. M'Faddle, as the boys
stopped to examine the gathering blisters on their hands. “Take it easy,
my sons; we are nae in haste; there's naebody expects us to dinner in any
of yon big hooses doon the harbour; but I think we maun try to mak' the
sail do some wark, for the wind is wi' us if there's nae muckle of it. Rig
the mast, Archie, ma freend! rest yersels a wee bit, boys.”
The mast was rigged, and the sail set, with some difficulty, for Twist
knew less about boats than about broadcloth and buttons, and the boat
glided along at the rate of two knots an hour. The sun, as it rose higher in
the sky, began to glow fiercely upon their heads, and to tinge their
cheeks and noses with crimson. However, they were out for a holiday,
and were evidently resolved that minor inconveniences should not put
them out of humour; so the ladies opened their parasols and said they
were very happy; whereupon M'Faddle said he was very happy to see
them happy; and, to give vent to the pressure of his high spirits, he
volunteered a Scotch song with a lively chorus, and after that was over,
Twist gave an Irish song, with plenty of racy humour in it, which
provoked a laughing chorus. Then they all sang “Cheer boys cheer,” and
“Row, brothers, row,” until they re-echoed with a row, which must have
astounded the crabs, and made the periwinkles ready to jump out of their
shells. After they had finished singing, they chatted, and joked, and
laughed and giggled, until the boat's topsides groaned with the shaking of
the seats. A happy holiday-group were they! A merrier lot never
crammed themselves into a collier's jolly boat.