on our selection-第20章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


y　words！〃

Poor　Dad！　　I　wonder　how　long　he　expected　to　live？

At　the　back　of　Shingle　Hut　was　a　tract　of　Government　landmostly　mountainsmarked　on　the　map　as　the　Great　Dividing　Range。　　Splendid　country；　Dad　considered　itBEAUTIFUL　countryand　part　of　a　grand　scheme　he　had　in　his　head。　　I　defy　you　to　find　a　man　more　full　of　schemes　than　Dad　was。

The　day　had　been　hot。　　Inside；　the　mosquitoes　were　bad；　and；　after　supper；　Dad　and　Dave　were　outside；　lying　on　some　bags。　　They　had　been　grubbing　that　day；　and　were　tired。　　The　night　was　nearly　dark。　　Dad　lay　upon　his　back；　watching　the　stars；　Dave　upon　his　stomach；　his　head　resting　on　his　arms。　　Both　silent。　　One　of　the　draught…horses　cropped　the　couch…grass　round　about　them。　　Now　and　again　a　flying…fox　circled　noiselessly　overhead；　and　〃MOPOKE！MOPOKE！〃　came　dismally　from　the　ridge　and　from　out　the　lonely…looking　gully。　　A　star　fell；　lighting　up　a　portion　of　the　sky；　but　Dad　did　not　remark　it。　　In　a　while　he　said：

〃How　old　are　you；　Dave？〃　　Dave　made　a　mental　calculation　before　answering。

〃S'pose　I　must　be　eighteen　now　。。。Why？〃

A　silence。

〃I've　been　thinking　of　that　land　at　the　backif　we　had　that　I　believe　we　could　make　money。〃

〃Yairsif　we　HAD。〃

Another　silence。

〃Well；　I　mean　to　have　it；　and　that　before　very　long。〃

Dave　raised　his　head；　and　looked　towards　Dad。

〃There's　four　of　you　old　enough　to　take　up　land；　and　where　could　you　get　better　country　than　that　out　there　for　cattle？　　Why〃　（turning　on　his　side　and　facing　Dave）　〃with　a　thousand　acres　of　that　stocked　with　cattle　and　this　kept　under　cultivation　we'd　make　moneywe'd　be　RICH　in　a　very　few　years。〃

Dave　raised　himself　on　his　elbow。

〃Yairswith　CATTLE；〃　he　said。

〃Just　so〃　（Dad　sat　up　with　enthusiasm）；　〃but　to　get　the　LAND　is　the　first　thing；　and　that's　easy　enough　ONLY〃　（lowering　his　voice）　〃it'll　have　to　be　done　QUIETLY　and　without　letting　everyone　'round　know　we're　going　in　for　it。〃　（〃Oh！　yairs；　o'　course；〃　from　Dave。）　　〃THEN〃　（and　Dad　lifted　his　voice　and　leaned　over）　〃run　a　couple　of　wires　round　it；　put　every　cow　we've　here　on　it　straight　away；　get　another　one　or　two　when　the　barley's　sold；　and　let　them　breed。〃

〃'Bout　how　many'd　that　be　t'　start　'n？〃

〃Well；　EIGHT　good　cows　at　the　leastplenty；　too。　　It's　simply　WONDERFUL　how　cattle　breed　if　they're　let　alone。　　Look　at　Murphy；　for　instance。　Started　on　that　place　with　two　young　heifersthose　two　old　red　cows　that　you　see　knocking　about　now。　　THEY'RE　the　mothers　of　all　his　cattle。　Anderson　just　the　same。。。Why；　God　bless　my　soul！　we　would　have　a　better　start　than　any　one　of　them　ever　hadby　a　long　way。〃

Dave　sat　up。　　He　began　to　share　Dad's　enthusiasm。

〃Once　get　it　STOCKED；　and　all　that　is　to　be　done　then　is　simply　to　look　after　the　fence；　ride　about　among　the　cattle　every　day；　see　they're　right；　brand　the　calves；　and　every　year　muster　the　mob；　draft　out　the　fat　bullocks；　whip　them　into　town；　and　get　our　seven　and　eight　pounds　a　head　for　them。〃

〃That'd　suit　me　down　to　the　ground；　ridin'　about　after　cattle；〃　Dave　said。

〃Yes；　get　our　seven　and　eight　pounds；　maybe　nine　or　ten　pounds　a…piece。　And　could　ever　we　do　that　pottering　about　on　the　place？〃　　Dad　leaned　over　further　and　pressed　Dave's　knee　with　his　hand。

〃Mind　you！〃　（in　a　very　confidential　tone）　〃I'm　not　at　all　satisfied　the　way　we're　dragging　along　here。　　It's　utter　　nonsense；　and；　to　speak　the　truth〃　（lowering　his　voice　again）　〃I'VE　BEEN　SICK　OF　THE　WHOLE　DAMN　THING　LONG　AGO。〃

A　minute　or　two　passed。

〃It　would　n't　matter；〃　Dad　continued；　〃if　there　was　no　way　of　doing　better；　but　there　IS。　　The　thing　only　requires　to　be　DONE；　and　why　not　DO　it？〃　　He　paused　for　an　answer。

〃Well；〃　Dave　said；　〃let　us　commence　it　straight　offt'morror。　　It's　the　life　that'd　suit　ME。〃

〃Of　course　it　WOULD。。。and　there's　money　in　it。。。no　mistake　about　it！〃

A　few　minutes　passed。　　Then　they　went　inside；　and　Dad　took　Mother　into　his　confidence；　and　they　sat　up　half　the　night　discussing　the　scheme。

Twelve　months　later。　　The　storekeeper　was　at　the　house　wanting　to　see　Dad。　Dad　was　n't　at　home。　　He　never　was　when　the　storekeeper　came；　he　generally　contrived　to　be　away；　up　the　paddock　somewhere　or　amongst　the　cornif　any　was　growing。　　The　storekeeper　waited　an　hour　or　so；　but　Dad　did　n't　turn　up。　　When　he　was　gone；　though；　Dad　walked　in　and　asked　Mother　what　he　had　said。　　Mother　was　seated　on　the　sofa；　troubled…looking。

〃He　must　be　paid　by　next　week；〃　she　said；　bursting　into　tears；　〃or　the　place'll　be　sold　over　our　heads。〃

Dad　stood　with　his　back　to　the　fire…place；　his　hand　locked　behind　him；　watching　the　flies　swarming　on　the　table。

Dave　came　in。　　He　understood　the　situation　at　a　glance。　　The　scene　was　not　new　to　him。　　He　sat　down；　leant　forward；　picked　a　straw　off　the　flor　and　twisted　it　round　and　round　his　finger；　reflecting。

Little　Bill　put　his　head　on　Mother's　lap；　and　asked　for　a　piece　of　bread。。。He　asked　a　second　time。

〃There　IS　no　bread；　child；〃　she　said。

〃But　me　wants　some；　mumma。〃

Dad　went　outside　and　Dave　followed。　　They　sat　on　their　heels；　their　backs　to　the　barn；　thoughtfully　studying　the　earth。

〃It's　the　same　thing〃Dad　said；　reproachfully〃from　one　year's　end　to　the　other。。。alwuz　a　BILL！〃

〃Thought　last　year　we'd　be　over　all　this　by　now！〃　from　Dave。

〃So　we　COULD。。。Can　NOW。。。It　only　wants　that　land　to　be　taken　up；　and；　as　I've　said　often　and　often；　these　cows　taken〃

Dad　caught　sight　of　the　storekeeper　coming　back；　and　ran　into　the　barn。

Six　months　later。　　Dinner　about　ready。　　〃Take　up　a　thousand　acres；〃　Dad　was　saying；　〃take　it　up〃

He　was　interrupted　by　a　visitor。

〃Are　you　Mister　Rudd？〃　　Dad　said　he　was。

〃Well；　erI've　a　FI。　FA。　against　y'。〃

Dad　didn't　understand。

The　Sheriff's　officer　drew　a　document　from　his　inside　breast…pocket　and　proceeded　to　read：

〃To　Mister　James　Williams；　my　bailiff。　　Greeting：　　By　virtue　of　Her　Majesty's　writ　of　FIERI　FACIAS；　to　me　directed；　I　command　you　that　of　the　goods　and　chattels；　money；　bank…note　or　notes　or　other　property　of　Murtagh　Joseph　Rudd；　of　Shingle　Hut；　in　my　bailiwick；　you　cause　to　be　made　the　sum　of　forty　pounds　ten　shillings；　with　interest　thereon；〃　&c。

Dad　understood。

Then　the　bailiff's　man　rounded　up　the　cows　and　the　horses；　and　Dad　and　the　lot　of　us　leant　against　the　fence　and　in　sadness　watched　Polly　and　old　Poley　and　the　rest　for　the　last　time　pass　out　the　slip…rails。

〃That　puts　an　end　to　the　land　business！〃　Dave　said　gloomily。

But　Dad　never　spoke。




Chapter　XVIII。



We　Embark　in　the　Bear　Industry。


When　the　bailiff　came　and　took　away　the　cows　and　horses；　and　completely　knocked　the　bottom　out　of　Dad's　land　scheme；　Dad　did　n't　sit　in　the　ashes　and　sulk。　　He　was　n't　that　kind　of　person。　　He　DID　at　times　say　he　was　tired　of　it　all；　and　often　he　wished　it　far　enough；　too！　　But；　then；　that　was　all　mere　talk　on　Dad's　part。　　He　LOVED　the　selection。　　To　every　inchevery　stick　of　ithe　was　devoted。　　'T　was　his　creed。　　He　felt　certain　there　was　money　in　itthat　out　of　it　would　come　his　independence。　Therefore；　he　did　n't　rollup　and；　with　Mother　by　the　hand　and　little　Bill　on　his　back；　stalk　into　town　to　hang　round　and　abuse　the　bush。　　He　walked　up　and　down　the　yard　thinking　and　thinking。　　Dad　was　a　man　with　a　head。

He　consulted　Mother　and　Dave；　and　together　they　thought　more。

〃The　thing　is；〃　Dad　said；　〃to　get　another　horse　to　finish　the　bit　of　ploughing。　　We've　got　ONE；　Anderson　will　lend　the　grey　mare；　I　know。〃

He　walked　round　the　room　a　few　times。

〃When　that's　done；　I　think　I　see　my　way　clear；　but　THAT'S　the　trouble。〃

He　looked　at　Dave。　　Dave　seemed　as　though　he　had　a　solution。　　But　Joe　spoke。

〃Kuk…kuk…could　n't　y'　b…reak　in　some　kang'roos；　Dad？　　There's　pul…lenty　in　th'　pup…paddick。〃

〃Could　n't　you　shut　up　and　hold　your　tongue　and　clear　out　of　this；　you　brat？〃　Dad　roared。　　And　Joe　hung　his　head　and　shut　up。

〃Well；　y'　know〃Dave　drawled〃there's　that　colt　wot　Maloney　offered　us　before　to　quieten。　　Could　get　'im。　　'E's　a　big　lump　of　a　'orse　if　y'　could　do　anythin'　with　'im。　　THEY　gave　'im　best　themselves。〃

Dad's　eyes　shone。

〃That's　th'　horse；〃　he　cried。　　〃GET　him！　　To…morrow　first　thing　go　for　him！　　I'LL　make　something　of　him！〃

〃Don't　know〃D