Lubras had done
little else but make faces at themselves in the looking-glass for two
days (I was beginning to hate that looking-glass), I appealed to the
Maluka for assistance.
He took Sam in hand, and the triumph slipped away from beneath the stolid
face, and a certain amount of discrimination crept into his obedience
from henceforth.
Then the Sanguine Scot said that he would "tackle the lubras for her,"
and in half an hour everywhere was swept and garnished, and the lubras
were meek and submissive.
"You'll need to rule them with a rod of iron," Mac said, secretly pleased
with his success. But there was one drawback to his methods, for next
day, with the exception of Nellie, there were no lubras to rule with or
without a rod of iron.
Jimmy, the water-carrier and general director of the woodheap gossip,
explained that they had gone off with the camp lubras for a day's
recreation; "Him knock up longa all about work," he said, with an
apologetic smile. Jimmy was either apologetic or condescending.
Nellie rounded them up when they returned, and the Maluka suggested, as a
way out of the difficulty, that I should try to make myself more
attractive than the camp lubras, which Mac said "shouldn't be difficult,"
and then coughed, doubtful of the compliment.
I went down to the Creek at once to carry out the Maluka's suggestion,
and succeeded so well that I was soon the centre of a delighted dusky
group, squatting on its haunches, and deep in fascinations of teaching an
outsider its language.
