on our selection-第3章

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d　n't　met　Dad　at　all。

The　seventh　week　Dad　came　back。　　He　arrived　at　night；　and　the　lot　of　us　had　to　get　up　to　find　the　hammer　to　knock　the　peg　out　of　the　door　and　let　him　in。　　He　brought　home　three　poundsnot　enough　to　get　the　wire　with；　but　he　also　brought　a　horse　and　saddle。　　He　did　n't　say　if　he　bought　them。　It　was　a　bay　mare；　a　grand　animal　for　a　journeyso　Dad　saidand　only　wanted　condition。　　Emelina；　he　called　her。　　No　mistake；　she　was　a　quiet　mare！　　We　put　her　where　there　was　good　feed；　but　she　was　n't　one　that　fattened　on　grass。　　Birds　took　kindly　to　hercrows　mostlyand　she　could　n't　go　anywhere　but　a　flock　of　them　accompanied　her。　　Even　when　Dad　used　to　ride　her　（Dan　or　Dave　never　rode　her）　they　used　to　follow；　and　would　fly　on　ahead　to　wait　in　a　tree　and　〃caw〃　when　he　was　passing　beneath。

One　morning　when　Dan　was　digging　potatoes　for　dinnersplendid　potatoes　they　were；　too；　Dad　said；　he　had　only　once　tasted　sweeter　ones；　but　they　were　grown　in　a　cemeteryhe　found　the　kangaroos　had　been　in　the　barley。　We　knew　what　THAT　meant；　and　that　night　made　fires　round　it；　thinking　to　frighten　them　off；　but　did　n'tmobs　of　them　were　in　at　daybreak。　　Dad　swore　from　the　house　at　them；　but　they　took　no　notice；　and　when　he　ran　down；　they　just　hopped　over　the　fence　and　sat　looking　at　him。　　Poor　Dad！　I　do　n't　know　if　he　was　knocked　up　or　if　he　did　n't　know　any　more；　but　he　stopped　swearing　and　sat　on　a　stump　looking　at　a　patch　of　barley　they　had　destroyed；　and　shaking　his　head。　　Perhaps　he　was　thinking　if　he　only　had　a　dog！　　We　did　have　one　until　he　got　a　bait。　　Old　Crib！　　He　was　lying　under　the　table　at　supper…time　when　he　took　the　first　fit；　and　what　a　fright　we　got！　　He　must　have　reared　before　stiffening　out；　because　he　capsized　the　table　into　Mother's　lap；　and　everything　on　it　smashed　except　the　tin…plates　and　the　pints。　　The　lamp　fell　on　Dad；　too；　and　the　melted　fat　scalded　his　arm。　　Dad　dragged　Crib　out　and　cut　off　his　tail　and　ears；　but　he　might　as　well　have　taken　off　his　head。

Dad　stood　with　his　back　to　the　fire　while　Mother　was　putting　a　stitch　in　his　trousers。　　〃There's　nothing　for　it　but　to　watch　them　at　night；〃　he　was　saying；　when　old　Anderson　appeared　and　asked　〃if　I　could　have　those　few　pounds。〃　Dad　asked　Mother　if　she　had　any　money　in　the　house？　　Of　course　she　had　n't。　　Then　he　told　Anderson　he　would　let　him　have　it　when　he　got　the　deeds。　　Anderson　left；　and　Dad　sat　on　the　edge　of　the　sofa　and　seemed　to　be　counting　the　grains　on　a　corn…cob　that　he　lifted　from　the　floor；　while　Mother　sat　looking　at　a　kangaroo…tail　on　the　table　and　did　n't　notice　the　cat　drag　it　off。　　At　last　Dad　said；　〃Ah；　well！it　won't　be　long　now；　Ellen；　before　we　have　the　deeds！〃

We　took　it　in　turns　to　watch　the　barley。　　Dan　and　the　two　girls　watched　the　first　half　of　the　night；　and　Dad；　Dave　and　I　the　second。　　Dad　always　slept　in　his　clothes；　and　he　used　to　think　some　nights　that　the　others　came　in　before　time。　　It　was　terrible　going　out；　half　awake；　to　tramp　round　that　paddock　from　fire　to　fire；　from　hour　to　hour；　shouting　and　yelling。　　And　how　we　used　to　long　for　daybreak！　　Whenever　we　sat　down　quietly　together　for　a　few　minutes　we　would　hear　the　dull　THUD！　　THUD！　THUD！the　kangaroo's　footstep。

At　last　we　each　carried　a　kerosene　tin；　slung　like　a　kettle…drum；　and　belted　it　with　a　waddyDad's　idea。　　He　himself　manipulated　an　old　bell　that　he　had　found　on　a　bullock's　grave；　and　made　a　splendid　noise　with　it。

It　was　a　hard　struggle；　but　we　succeeded　in　saving　the　bulk　of　the　barley；　and　cut　it　down　with　a　scythe　and　three　reaping…hooks。　　The　girls　helped　to　bind　it；　and　Jimmy　Mulcahy　carted　it　in　return　for　three　days'　binding　Dad　put　in　for　him。　　The　stack　was　n't　built　twenty…four　hours　when　a　score　of　somebody's　crawling　cattle　ate　their　way　up　to　their　tails　in　it。　We　took　the　hint　and　put　a　sapling　fence　round　it。

Again　Dad　decided　to　go　up　country　for　a　while。　　He　caught　Emelina　after　breakfast；　rolled　up　a　blanket；　told　us　to　watch　the　stack；　and　started。　The　crows　followed。

We　were　having　dinner。　　Dave　said；　〃Listen！〃　　We　listened；　and　it　seemed　as　though　all　the　crows　and　other　feathered　demons　of　the　wide　bush　were　engaged　in　a　mighty　scrimmage。　　〃Dad's　back！〃　Dan　said；　and　rushed　out　in　the　lead　of　a　stampede。

Emelina　was　back；　anyway；　with　the　swag　on；　but　Dad　was　n't。　　We　caught　her；　and　Dave　pointed　to　white　spots　all　over　the　saddle；　and　said〃Hanged　if　they　have　n't　been　ridin'　her！〃meaning　the　crows。

Mother　got　anxious；　and　sent　Dan　to　see　what　had　happened。　　Dan　found　Dad；　with　his　shirt　off；　at　a　pub　on　the　main　road；　wanting　to　fight　the　publican　for　a　hundred　pounds；　but　could　n't　persuade　him　to　come　home。　Two　men　brought　him　home　that　night　on　a　sheep…hurdle；　and　he　gave　up　the　idea　of　going　away。

After　all；　the　barley　turned　out　wellthere　was　a　good　price　that　year；　and　we　were　able　to　run　two　wires　round　the　paddock。

One　day　a　bulky　Government　letter　came。　　Dad　looked　surprised　and　pleased；　and　how　his　hand　trembled　as　he　broke　the　seal！　　〃THE　DEEDS！〃　he　said；　and　all　of　us　gathered　round　to　look　at　them。　　Dave　thought　they　were　like　the　inside　of　a　bear…skin　covered　with　writing。

Dad　said　he　would　ride　to　town　at　once；　and　went　for　Emelina。

〃Could　n't　y'　find　her；　Dad？〃　Dan　said；　seeing　him　return　without　the　mare。

Dad　cleared　his　throat；　but　did　n't　answer。　　Mother　asked　him。

〃Yes；　I　FOUND　her；〃　he　said　slowly；　〃DEAD。〃

The　crows　had　got　her　at　last。

He　wrapped　the　deeds　in　a　piece　of　rag　and　walked。

There　was　nothing；　scarcely；　that　he　did　n't　send　out　from　town；　and　Jimmy　Mulcahy　and　old　Anderson　many　and　many　times　after　that　borrowed　our　dray。

Now　Dad　regularly　curses　the　deeds　every　mail…day；　and　wishes　to　Heaven　he　had　never　got　them。




Chapter　IV。



When　the　Wolf　was　at　the　Door。


There　had　been　a　long　stretch　of　dry　weather；　and　we　were　cleaning　out　the　waterhole。　　Dad　was　down　the　hole　shovelling　up　the　dirt；　Joe　squatted　on　the　brink　catching　flies　and　letting　them　go　again　without　their　wingsa　favourite　amusement　of　his；　while　Dan　and　Dave　cut　a　drain　to　turn　the　water　that　ran　off　the　ridge　into　the　holewhen　it　rained。　　Dad　was　feeling　dry；　and　told　Joe　to　fetch　him　a　drink。

Joe　said：　　〃See　first　if　this　cove　can　fly　with　only　one　wing。〃　Then　he　went；　but　returned　and　said：　　〃There's　no　water　in　the　bucketMother　used　the　last　drop　to　boil　th'　punkins；〃　and　renewed　the　fly…catching。　　Dad　tried　to　spit；　and　was　going　to　say　something　when　Mother；　half…way　between　the　house　and　the　waterhole；　cried　out　that　the　grass　paddock　was　all　on　fire。　　〃So　it　is；　Dad！〃　said　Joe；　　slowly　but　surely　dragging　the　head　off　a　fly　with　finger　and　thumb。

Dad　scrambled　out　of　the　hole　and　looked。　　〃Good　God！〃　was　all　he　said。　How　he　ran！　　All　of　us　rushed　after　him　except　Joehe　could　n't　run　very　well；　because　the　day　before　he　had　ridden　fifteen　miles　on　a　poor　horse；　bare…back。　　When　near　the　fire　Dad　stopped　running　to　break　a　green　bush。　He　hit　upon　a　tough　one。　　Dad　was　in　a　hurry。　　The　bush　was　n't。　　Dad　swore　and　tugged　with　all　his　might。　　Then　the　bush　broke　and　Dad　fell　heavily　upon　his　back　and　swore　again。

To　save　the　cockatoo　fence　that　was　round　the　cultivation　was　what　was　troubling　Dad。　　Right　and　left　we　fought　the　fire　with　boughs。　　Hot！　　It　was　hellish　hot！　　Whenever　there　was　a　lull　in　the　wind　we　worked。　　Like　a　wind…mill　Dad's　bough　movedand　how　he　rushed　for　another　when　one　was　used　up！　　Once　we　had　the　fire　almost　under　control；　but　the　wind　rose　again；　and　away　went　the　flames　higher　and　faster　than　ever。

〃It's　no　use；〃　said　Dad　at　last；　placing　his　hand　on　his　head；　and　throwing　down　his　bough。　　We　did　the　same；　then　stood　and　watched　the　fence　go。　After　supper　we　went　out　again　and　saw　it　still　burning。　　Joe　asked　Dad　if　he　did　n't　think　it　was　a　splendid　sight？　　Dad　did　n't　answer　himhe　did　n't　seem　conversational　that　night。

We　decided　to　put　the　fence　up　again。　　Dan　had　sharpened　the　axe　with　a　broken　file；　and　he　and　Dad　were　about　to　start　when　Mother　asked　them　what　was　to　be　done　about　flour？　　She　said　she　had　shaken　the　bag　to　get　enough　to　make　scones　for　that　morning's　breakfast；　and　unless　some　was　got　somewhere　there　would