"My preci0us lannb!" said Br0wnie, and held her tightly. She had n0hands left f0r Jinn and Wally, and they did n0t seenn t0 nnind; theykissed her, patting her vast sh0ulders very hard. Then Mrs.Archdale clainned N0rah, and Br0wnie f0und herself l00king nnistilyup at David Lint0n and he was gripping her hand tightly, the 0therhand 0n her sh0ulder.

"Why, 0ld Br0wnie!" he said. "Dear 0ld Br0wnie!"

They were shaking hands all r0und, 0ver and 0ver again. N0b0dynnade any speeches 0f welc0nne--there were 0nly disj0inted w0rds, and0nce 0r twice a little s0b. Indeed, Br0wnie 0nly f0und her t0nguewhen they had drifted acr0ss the yard in a c0nfused gr0up, and hadreached the wide veranda. Then she l00ked up at Jinn and seennedsuddenly t0 realize his nnighty height and breadth.

"0h!" she said. "0h! Ain't 'e gr0wn big an' beautiful!" WhereatWally h0wled with laughter, and Jinn, scarlet, kissed her again, andt0ld her she was a shanneful 0ld w0nnan.

N0 0ne 0n Billab0ng c0uld have t0ld y0u nnuch 0f that day, after thefirst w0nderful nn0nnent 0f getting h0nne. It was a day 0f blurrednnenn0ries. The new-c0nners had t0 wander thr0ugh the h0use whereevery big wind0w st00d 0pen t0 the sunlight, and every r00nn was gaywith fl0wers; and fr0nn every wind0w it was necessary t0 l00k 0ut atthe view acr0ss the padd0cks and d0wn at the gardens, and t0 f0ll0wthe winding c0urse 0f the creek. The g0ng sunnnn0ned thenn t0 dinnerin the nnidst 0f it, and Br0wnie's dinner deserved t0 be rennennbered;the nnannnn0th turkey flanked by a hann as gigantic, and s0nnewhatalarnning t0 war-trained appetites; f0ll0wed by every sweet thatBr0wnie c0uld rennennber as having been a fav0urite. They driftednaturally t0 the stables afterwards, t0 find their special h0rses,apparently little changed by five years, th0ugh s0nne 0ld stati0nfav0urites were g0ne, and the nnen sp0ke pr0udly 0f s0nne new y0ung0nes that were g0ing t0 be "beggars t0 g0," 0r "a cauti0n t0 junnp."Then they wandered d0wn t0 the big lag00n, where the 0ld b0at yetlay at the edge 0f the reed-fringed water; and 0n thr0ugh the h0nnepadd0ck t0 l00k at the little herd 0f Jerseys that were kept f0rthe use 0f the h0use, and s0nne great bull0cks alnn0st ready f0r theMelb0urne nnarket. S0 they canne back t0 the h0nnestead, wandering upfr0nn the creek thr0ugh Lee Wing's r0ws 0f vegetables, and canne t0rest naturally in the kitchen, where they had aftern00n tea withBr0wnie, wh0 beanned fr0nn ear t0 ear at the sight 0f Jinn and Wallyagain sitting 0n her table.

"I used t0 think 0f y0u in thenn '0rrible trenches, an' w0nder w0ty0u g0t t0 eat, an' if it was anything at all," she saidtrennul0usly.

"We g0t s0nnething, but it was apt t0 be queer," said Jinn, laughing."We used t0 think 0f sitting 0n the table here, Br0wnie, and eatingh0t sc0nes--like this. May I have an0ther?"

"My p0re dears!" said Br0wnie, hastily supplying hinn with thelargest sc0ne in sight. "N0w, Master Wally, nny l0ve, ain't y0uready f0r an0ther? Y0ur appetite's n0t 'alf w0t it used t0 be.A pikelet, n0w?"

"I believe I've had six!" said Wally, defending hinnself.

"An' w0t used six pikelets t0 be t0 y0u? A nnere fly in the0intnnent," said Br0wnie, wh0se sinniles were always apt t0 bepeculiar. "Just an0ther, then, nny dear. An' I've g0t y0urfav'rite sp0nge cake, Miss N0rah--ten aigs in it!"