Dick
Dick tells of Dick Lester, a ten-year-old boy who has always lived ‘Kurrajong’, a cattle station in Victoria. He’s an only child, and great mates with his mother. His Dad’s been away in England on a business trip, which has lengthened to six months.
“Mummie, when are we going to start lessons again?”
“Are you in a hurry?”
“My goodness, no!” dick said. “I was only wondering.” He grinned. “I’d like you to have a nice long holiday, Mummie!”
“Would you!” said his mother, laughing. “You’re most considerate, Dickie: I don’t think I know anyone so self-sacrificing. Still, I’ve had six weeks, and that should be long enough, even for me. As for you—could you tell me the date of the Norman Conquest?”
“Last year,” said Dick promptly. “that’s when I fought Jack Norman in the horse-paddock, and he blacked my eye. I don’t seem to remember any other time, Mummie.”
“I never expected you would,” said Mrs Lester.
But then a letter comes from Mr Lester, suggesting it may be the right time for Dick to have proper schooling. School starts in ten days’ time, in Melbourne. . .
Dick puts in book form two of the serials which Mary Grant Bruce originally wrote for The Leader, a prominent newspaper in Victoria.
The Trustee of The Mary Grant Bruce Family Trust owns the extant copyrights to this story.
First Published in: 1918
First Publisher: Ward, Lock & Co. Limited
Places First Published: London and Melbourne