on our selection-第13章

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d　touched　the　top　of　　every　post　with　his　hand。　　The　Lipps　had　newly　arrived　from　Germany；　and　their　selection　adjoined　ours。　　Jacob　was　their　〃eldest〃；　about　fourteen；　and　a　fat；　jabbering；　jolly…faced　youth　he　was。　　He　often　came　to　our　place　and　followed　Joe　about。　　Joe　never　cared　much　for　the　company　of　anyone　younger　than　himself；　and　therefore　fiercely　resented　the　indignity。　Jacob　could　speak　only　GermanJoe　understood　only　pure　unadulterated　Australian。　　Still　Jacob　insisted　on　talking　and　telling　Joe　his　private　affairs。

This　day；　Mrs。　Lipp　accompanied　Jacob。　　She　came　to　have　a　〃yarn〃　with　Mother。　　They　did　n't　understand　each　other　either；　but　it　did　n't　matter　much　to　themit　never　does　matter　much　to　women　whether　they　understand　or　not；　anyway；　they　laughed　most　of　the　time　and　seemed　to　enjoy　themselves　greatly。　　Outside　Jacob　and　Joe　mixed　up　in　an　argument。　Jacob　shoved　his　face　close　to　Joe's　and　gesticulated　and　talked　German　at　the　rate　of　two　hundred　words　a　minute。　　Joe　thought　he　understood　him　and　said：　　〃You　want　to　fight？〃　　Jacob　seemed　to　have　a　nightmare　in　German。

〃Orright；　then；〃　Joe　said；　and　knocked　him　down。

Jacob　seemed　to　understand　Australian　better　when　he　got　up；　for　he　ran　inside；　and　Joe　put　his　ear　to　a　crack；　but　did　n't　hear　him　tell　Mother。

Joe　had　an　idea。　　He　would　set　the　steel…trap　on　a　wire…post　and　catch　Jacob。　　He　set　it。　　Jacob　started　home。　　One；　two；　three　posts　he　hit。　Then　he　hit　the　trap。　　It　grabbed　him　faithfully　by　three　fingers。

Angels　of　Love！　did　ever　a　boy　of　fourteen　yell　like　it　before！　　He　sprang　in　the　airthrew　himself　on　the　ground　like　a　roped　brumbyjumped　up　again　and　ran　all　he　knew；　frantically　wringing　the　hand　the　trap　clung　to。　　What　Jacob　reckoned　had　hold　of　him　Heaven　only　can　tell。　　His　mother　thought　he　must　have　gone　mad　and　ran　after　him。　　Our　Mother　fairly　tore　after　her。　　Dad　and　Dave　left　a　dray…load　of　corn　and　joined　in　the　hunt。　Between　them　they　got　Jacob　down　and　took　him　out　of　the　trap。　　Dad　smashed　the　infernal　machine；　and　then　went　to　look　for　Joe。　　But　Joe　was　n't　about。

The　corn　shelled　out　100　bagsthe　best　crop　we　had　ever　had；　but　when　Dad　came　to　sell　it　seemed　as　though　every　farmer　in　every　farming　district　on　earth　had　had　a　heavy　crop；　for　the　market　was　gluttedthere　was　too　much　corn　in　Egyptand　he　could　get　no　price　for　it。　　At　last　he　was　offered　Ninepence　ha'penny　per　bushel；　delivered　at　the　railway　station。　　Ninepence　ha'penny　per　bushel；　delivered　at　the　railway　station！　　Oh；　my　country！　and　fivepence　per　bushel　out　of　that　to　a　carrier　to　take　it　there！　AUSTRALIA；　MY　MOTHER！

Dad　soldbecause　he　could　n't　afford　to　await　a　better　market；　and　when　the　letter　came　containing　a　cheque　in　payment；　he　made　a　calculation；　then　looked　pitifully　at　Mother；　and　muttered〃　SEVEN　POUN'S　TEN！〃




Chapter　XII。



Kate's　Wedding。


Our　selection　was　a　great　place　for　dancing。　　We　could　all　dancefrom　Dan　downand　there　was　n't　a　figure　or　a　movement　we　did　n't　know。　　We　learned　young。　　Mother　was　a　firm　believer　in　early　tuition。　　She　used　to　say　it　was　nice　for　young　people　to　know　how　to　dance；　and　be　able　to　take　their　part　when　they　went　out　anywhere；　and　not　be　awkward　and　stupid…looking　when　they　went　into　society。　　It　was　awful；　she　thought；　to　see　young　fellows　and　big　lumps　of　girls　like　the　Bradys　stalk　into　a　ballroom　and　sit　the　whole　night　long　in　a　corner；　without　attempting　to　get　up。　　She　did　n't　know　how　mothers　COULD　bring　children　up　so　ignorantly；　and　did　n't　wonder　at　some　of　them　not　being　able　to　find　husbands　for　their　daughters。

But　we　had　a　lot　to　feel　thankful　for。　　Besides　a　sympathetic　mother；　every　other　facility　was　afforded　us　to　become　accomplished。　　Abundance　of　freedom；　enthusiastic　sisters；　and　no　matter　how　things　were　goingwhether　the　corn　would　n't　come　up；　or　the　wheat　had　failed；　or　the　pumpkins　had　given　out；　or　the　water…hole　run　drywe　always　had　a　concertina　in　the　house。　　It　never　failed　to　attract　company。　　Paddy　Maloney　and　the　well…sinkers；　after　belting　and　blasting　all　day　long；　used　to　drop　in　at　night；　and　throw　the　table　outside；　and　take　the　girls　up；　and　prance　about　the　floor　with　them　till　all　hours。

Nearly　every　week　Mother　gave　a　ball。　　It　might　have　been　every　night　only　for　Dad。　　He　said　the　jumping　about　destroyed　the　ground…floorwore　it　away　and　made　the　room　like　a　well。　　And　whenever　it　rained　hard　and　the　water　rushed　in　he　had　to　bail　it　out。　　Dad　always　looked　on　the　dark　side　of　things。　　He　had　no　ear　for　music　either。　　His　want　of　appreciation　of　melody　often　made　the　home　miserable　when　it　might　have　been　the　merriest　on　earth。　　Sometimes　it　happened　that　he　had　to　throw　down　the　plough…reins　for　half…an…hour　or　so　to　run　round　the　wheat…paddock　after　a　horse　or　an　old　cow；　then；　if　he　found　Dave；　or　Sal；　or　any　of　us；　sitting　inside　playing　the　concertina　when　he　came　to　get　a　drink；　he　would　nearly　go　mad。

〃Can't　y'　find　anything　better　t'　do　than　everlastingly　playing　at　that　damn　thing？〃　he　would　shout。　　And　if　we　did　n't　put　the　instrument　down　immediately　he　would　tear　it　from　our　hands　and　pitch　it　outside。　　If　we　DID　lay　it　down　quietly　he　would　snatch　it　up　and　heave　it　out　just　as　hard。　　The　next　evening　he　would　devote　all　his　time　to　patching　the　fragments　together　with　sealing…wax。

Still；　despite　Dad's　antagonism；　we　all　turned　out　good　players。　　It　cost　us　nothing　either。　　We　learnt　from　each　other。　　Kate　was　the　first　that　learnt。　　SHE　taught　Sal。　　Sal　taught　Dave；　and　so　on。　　Sandy　Taylor　was　Kate's　tutor。　　He　passed　our　place　every　evening　going　to　his　selection；　where　he　used　to　sleep　at　night　（fulfilling　conditions）；　and　always　stopped　at　the　fence　to　yarn　with　Kate　about　dancing。　　Sandy　was　a　fine　dancer　himself；　very　light　on　his　feet　and　easy　to　waltz　withso　the　girls　made　out。　　When　the　dancing　subject　was　exhausted　Sandy　would　drag　some　hair　out　of　his　horse's　mane　and　say；　〃How's　the　concertina？〃　　〃It's　in　there；〃　Kate　would　answer。　　Then　turning　round　she　would　call　out；　〃JOE；　bring　the　concer'。〃

In　an　instant　Joe　would　strut　along　with　it。　　And　Sandy；　for　the　fiftieth　time；　would　examine　it　and　laugh　at　the　kangaroo…skin　straps　that　Dave　had　tacked　to　it；　and　the　scraps　of　brown　paper　that　were　plastered　over　the　ribs　of　it　to　keep　the　wind　in；　and；　cocking　his　left　leg　over　the　pommel　of　his　saddle；　he　would　sound　a　full　blast　on　it　as　a　preliminary。　　Then　he　would　strike　up　〃The　Rocky　Road　to　Dublin〃；　or　〃The　Wind　Among　the　Barley；〃；　or　some　other　beautiful　air；　and　grind　away　untiringly　until　it　got　darkuntil　mother　came　and　asked　him　if　he　would　n't　come　in　and　have　supper。　　Of　course；　he　always　would。　　After　supper　he　would　play　some　more。　Then　there　would　be　a　dance。

A　ball　was　to　be　held　at　Anderson's　one　Friday　night；　and　only　Kate　and　Dave　were　asked　from　our　place。　　Dave　was　very　pleased　to　be　invited；　it　was　the　first　time　he　had　been　asked　anywhere；　and　he　began　to　practise　vigorously。　　The　evening　before　the　ball　Dad　sent　him　to　put　the　draught　horses　in　the　top　paddock。　　He　went　off　merrily　with　them。　　The　sun　was　just　going　down　when　he　let　them　go；　and　save　the　noise　of　the　birds　settling　to　rest　the　paddock　was　quiet。　　Dave　was　filled　with　emotion　and　enthusiastic　thoughts　about　the　ball。

He　threw　the　winkers　down　and　looked　around。　　For　a　moment　or　two　he　stood　erect；　then　he　bowed　gracefully　to　the　saplings　on　his　right；　then　to　the　stumps　and　trees　on　his　left；　and　humming　a　tune；　ambled　across　a　small　patch　of　ground　that　was　bare　and　black；　and　pranced　back　again。　　He　opened　his　arms　and；　clasping　some　beautiful　imaginary　form　in　them；　swung　round　and　round　like　a　windmill。　　Then　he　paused　for　breath；　embraced　his　partner　again；　and　〃galloped〃　up　and　down。　　And　young　Johnson；　who　had　been　watching　him　in　wonder　from　behind　a　fence；　bolted　for　our　place。

〃Mrs。　Rudd！　　Mrs。　Rudd！〃　he　shouted　from　the　verandah。　　Mother　went　out。

〃Wot'swot's　up　with　Dave？〃

Mother　turned　pale。

〃There's　SOMETHING！〃

〃My　God！〃　Mother　exclaimed〃　WHATEVER　has　happened？〃

Young　Johnson　hesitated。　　He　was　in　doubt。

〃Oh！　　What　IS　it？〃　Mother　moaned。

〃Well〃　（he　drew　close　to　her）