on our selection-第28章

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　flew　clean　off　the　handle！　　And　when　Sal　advised　him　to　wear　his　coloured　shirt；　same　as　Dad　was　going　to　do；　and　reminded　him　that　Mary　Anderson　might　n't　come　at　all；　he　aimed　a　pillow　at　her　and　knocked　Little　Bill　under　the　table；　and　scattered　husks　all　over　the　floor。　　Then　he　fled　to　the　barn　and　refused　dinner。

Mid…day；　and　Dad's　pants　not　found。　　We　searched　inside　and　outside　and　round　about　the　pig…sty；　and　the　hay…stack；　and　the　cow…yard；　and　eyed　the　cows；　and　the　pet　kangaroo；　and　the　draught…horses　with　suspicion；　but　saw　nothing　of　the　pants。　　Dad　was　angry；　but　had　to　make　the　most　of　an　old　pair　of　Dave's　through　the　legs　of　which　Dad　thrust　himself　a　lot　too　far。　Mother　and　Sal　said　he　looked　well　enough　in　them；　but　laughed　when　he　went　outside。

The　people　commenced　to　arrive　on　horseback　and　in　drays。　　The　women　went　on　to　the　verandah　with　their　babies；　the　men　hung　round　outside　and　waited。　　Some　sat　under　the　peach…tree　and　nibbled　sticks　and　killed　green…heads；　others　leant　against　the　fence；　while　a　number　gathered　round　the　pig…sty　and　talked　about　curing　bacon。

The　parson　came　along。　　All　of　them　stared　at　him；　watched　him　unsaddle　his　horse　and　hunt　round　for　a　place　to　fasten　the　beast。　　They　regarded　the　man　in　the　long　black　coat　with　awe　and　wonder。

Everything　was　now　ready；　and；　when　Dad　carried　in　the　side…boards　of　the　dray　and　placed　them　on　boxes　for　seat　accommodation；　the　clergyman　awaited　his　congregation；　which　had　collected　at　the　back…door。　　Anderson　stepped　in；　the　rest　followed；　timid…looking；　and　stood　round　the　room　till　the　clergyman　motioned　them　to　sit。　　They　sat　and　watched　him　closely。

〃We'll　now　join　in　singing　hymn　499；〃　said　the　parson；　commencing　to　sing　himself。　　The　congregation　listened　attentively；　but　did　n't　join　in。　The　parson　jerked　his　arms　encouragingly　at　them；　which　only　made　them　the　more　uneasy。　　They　did　n't　understand。　　He　snapped　his　arms　harder；　as　he　lifted　his　voice　to　the　rafters；　still　they　only　stared。　　At　last　Dad　thought　he　saw　through　him。　　He　bravely　stood　up　and　looked　hard　at　the　others。　　They　took　the　hint　and　rose　clumsily　to　their　feet；　but　just　then　the　hymn　closed；　and；　as　　no　one　seemed　to　know　when　to　sit　again；　they　remained　standing。

They　were　standing　when　a　loud　whip…crack　sounded　close　to　the　house；　and　a　lusty　voice　roared：

〃Wah　Tumbler！　　Wah　Tumbler！　　Gee　back；　Brandy！　　Gee　back；　you！！！！！！〃

People　smiled。　　Then　a　team　of　bullocks　appeared　on　the　road。　　The　driver　drawled；　〃Wa…a…a…y！〃　and　the　team　stopped　right　in　front　of　the　door。　The　driver　lifted　something　weighty　from　the　dray　and　struggled　to　the　verandah　with　it　and　dropped　it　down。　　It　was　a　man。　　The　bullock…driver；　of　course；　did　n't　know　that　a　religious　service　was　being　conducted　inside；　and　the　chances　are　he　did　n't　much　care。　　He　only　saw　a　number　of　faces　looking　out；　and　talked　at　them。

〃I've　a　　cove　here；〃　he　said；　〃that　I　found　lying　on　the　　plain。　Gawd　knows　what's　up　with　himI　don't。　　A　good　square　feed　is　about　what　he　wants；　I　reckon。〃　　Then　he　went　back　for　the　man's　swag。

Dad；　after　hesitating；　rose　and　went　out。　　The　others　followed　like　a　flock　of　sheep；　and　the　〃shepherd〃　brought　up　the　rear。　　Church　was　out。　It　gathered　around　the　seeming　corpse；　and　stared　hard　at　it。　　Dad　and　Dave　spoke　at　the　same　time。

〃Why；〃　they　said；　〃it's　the　cove　with　the　bear…skin　cap！〃　　Sure　enough　it　was。　　The　clergyman　knelt　down　and　felt　the　man's　pulse；　then　went　and　brought　a　bottle　from　his　valisehe　always　carried　the　bottle；　he　said；　in　case　of　snake…bite　and　things　like　thatand　poured　some　of　the　contents　down　the　man's　throat。　　The　colour　began　to　come　to　the　man's　face。　　The　clergyman　gave　him　some　more；　and　in　a　while　the　man　opened　his　eyes。　They　rested　on　Dad；　who　was　bending　benignly　over　him。　　He　seemed　to　recognise　Dad。　　He　stared　for　some　time　at　him；　then　said　something　in　a　feeble　whisper；　which　the　clergyman　interpreted〃He　wishes　you〃　looking　at　Dad〃to　get　what's　in　his　swag　if　he　dies。〃　　Dad　nodded；　and　his　thoughts　went　sadly　back　to　the　day　he　turned　the　poor　devil　out　of　the　barn。

They　carried　the　man　inside　and　placed　him　on　the　sofa。　　But　soon　he　took　a　turn。　　He　sank　quickly；　and　in　a　few　moments　he　was　dead。　　In　a　few　moments　more　nearly　everyone　had　gone。

〃While　you　are　here；〃　Dad　said　to　the　clergyman；　in　a　soft　voice；　〃I'll　open　the　swag。〃　　He　commenced　to　unroll　itit　was　a　big　blanketand　when　he　got　to　the　end　there　were　his　own　trousersthe　lost　ones；　nothing　more。　　Dad's　eyes　met　Mother's；　Dave's　met　Sal's；　none　of　them　spoke。　　But　the　clergyman　drew　his　own　conclusions；　and　on　the　following　Sunday；　at　Nobby…Nobby；　he　preached　a　stirring　sermon　on　that　touching　bequest　of　the　man　with　the　bear…skin　cap。




CHAPTER　XXVI。



One　Christmas。


Three　days　to　Christmas；　and　how　pleased　we　were！　　For　months　we　had　looked　forward　to　it。　　Kate　and　Sandy；　whom　we　had　only　seen　once　since　they　went　on　their　selection；　were　to　be　home。　　Dave；　who　was　away　shearing　for　the　first　time；　was　coming　home　too。　　Norah；　who　had　been　away　for　a　year　teaching　school；　was　home　already。　　Mother　said　she　looked　quite　the　lady；　and　Sal　envied　the　fashionable　cut　of　her　dresses。

Things　were　in　a　fair　way　at　Shingle　Hut；　rain　had　fallen　and　everything　looked　its　best。　　The　grass　along　the　headlands　was　almost　as　tall　as　the　corn；　the　Bathurst…burr；　the　Scotch…thistles；　and　the　〃stinking　Roger〃　were　taller。　　Grow！　　Dad　never　saw　the　like。　　Why；　the　cultivation　was　n't　large　enough　to　hold　the　melon　and　pumpkin　vinesthey　travelled　into　the　horse…paddock　and　climbed　up　trees　and　over　logs　and　stumps；　and　they　would　have　fastened　on　the　horses　only　the　horses　were　fat　and　fresh　and　often　galloped　about。　　And　the　stock！　　Blest　if　the　old　cows　did　n't　carry　udders　like　camp…ovens；　and　had　so　much　milk　that　one　could　track　them　everywhere　they　wentthey　leaked　so。　　The　old　plough…horses；　tooonly　a　few　months　before　dug　out　of　the　dam　with　a　spade；　and　slung　up　between　heaven　and　earth　for　a　week；　and　fed　and　prayed　for　regularly　by　Dadactually　bolted　one　day　with　the　dray　because　Joe　rattled　a　dish　of　corn　behind　them。　　Even　the　pet　kangaroo　was　nearly　jumping　out　of　its　skin；　and　it　took　the　big　black　〃goanna〃　that　used　to　come　after　eggs　all　its　time　to　beat　Dad　from　the　barn　to　the　nearest　tree；　so　fat　was　it。　And　such　a　season　for　butterflies　and　grasshoppers；　and　grubs　and　snakes；　and　native　bears！　　Given　an　ass；　an　elephant；　and　an　empty　wine…bottle　or　two；　and　one　might　have　thought　Noah's　ark　had　been　emptied　at　our　selection。

Two　days　to　Christmas。　　The　sun　getting　low。　　An　old　cow　and　a　heifer　in　the　stock…yard。　　Dad　in；　admiring　them；　Mother　and　Sal　squinting　through　the　rails；　little　Bill　　perched　on　one　of　the　round　posts；　nursing　the　steel　and　a　long　knife；　Joe　running　hard　from　the　barn　with　a　plough…rein。

Dad　was　wondering　which　beast　to　kill；　and　expressed　a　preference　for　the　heifer。　　Mother　said；　〃No；　kill　the　cow。〃　　Dad　inspected　the　cow　again；　and　shook　his　head。

〃Well；　if　you　don't　she'll　only　die；　if　the　winter's　a　hard　one；　then　you'll　have　neither。〃　　That　settled　it。　　Dad　took　the　rope　from　Joe；　who　arrived　aglow　with　heat　and　excitement；　and　fixed　a　running　noose　on　one　end　of　it。　　Then

〃Hunt　'em　round！〃　he　cried。

Joe　threw　his　hat　at　them；　and　chased　them　round　and　round　the　yard。　Dad　turned　slowly　in　the　centre；　like　a　ring…master；　his　eye　on　the　cow；　a　coil　of　rope　was　in　this　left　hand；　and　with　the　right　he　measuredly　swung　the　loop　over　and　over　his　head　for　some　time。　　At　last　the　cow　gave　him　a　chance　at　her　horns；　and　he　let　fly。　　The　rope　whizzed　across　the　yard；　caught　little　Bill　round　the　neck；　and　brought　him　down　off　the　post。　Dad　could　hardly　believe　it。　　He　first　stared　at　Bill　as　he　rolled　in　the　yard；　then　at　the　cow。　　Mother　wished　to　know　if　he　wanted　to　kill　the　boy；　and　Joe　giggled　and；　with　a　deal　of　courage；　assured　Dad　it　was　〃a　fine　shot。〃　　The　cow　and　the　heifer　ran　into　a　corner；　and　switched　their　tails；　and　raked　skin　and　hair　off　each　other　with　their　horns。

〃What　do　you　want　to　be　always　stuck　in　the　road　for？〃　Dad　growled；　taking　the　rope　off　little　Bi