on our selection-第6章

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f　a　foal's　foot。　　She　had　had　that　sore　for　upwards　of　ten　years　to　our　knowledge；　but　Dad　hoped　to　have　it　cured　before　the　race　came　off　with　a　never…failing　remedy　he　had　discoveredburnt　leather　and　fat。

Every　day；　along　with　Dad；　we　would　stand　on　the　fence　near　the　house　to　watch　Dave　gallop　Bess　from　the　bottom　of　the　lane　to　the　barnabout　a　mile。　　We　could　always　see　him　start；　but　immediately　after　he　would　disappear　down　a　big　gully；　and　we　would　see　nothing　more　of　the　gallop　till　he　came　to　within　a　hundred　yards　of　us。　　And　would　n't　Bess　bend　to　it　once　she　got　up　the　hill；　and　fly　past　with　Dave　in　the　stirrups　watching　her　shadow！when　there　was　one：　　she　was　a　little　too　fine　to　throw　a　shadow　always。　　And　when　Dave　and　Bess　had　got　back　and　Joe　had　led　her　round　the　yard　a　few　times；　Dad　would　rub　the　corn…cob　over　her　again　and　apply　more　burnt…leather　and　fat　to　her　back。

On　the　morning　preceding　the　race　Dad　decided　to　send　Bess　over　three　miles　to　improve　her　wind。　　Dave　took　her　to　the　crossing　at　the　creeksupposed　to　be　three　miles　from　Shingle　Hut；　but　it　might　have　been　four　or　it　might　have　been　five；　and　there　was　a　stony　ridge　on　the　way。

We　mounted　the　fence　and　waited。　　Tommy　Wilkie　came　along　riding　a　plough…horse。　　He　waited　too。

〃Ought　to　be　coming　now；〃　Dad　observed；　and　Wilkie　got　excited。　　He　said　he　would　go　and　wait　in　the　gully　and　race　Dave　home。　　〃Race　him　home！〃　Dad　chuckled；　as　Tommy　cantered　off；　〃he'll　never　see　the　way　Bess　goes。〃　Then　we　all　laughed。

Just　as　someone　cried　〃Here　he　is！〃　Dave　turned　the　corner　into　the　lane；　and　Joe　fell　off　the　fence　and　pulled　Dad　with　him。　　Dad　damned　him　and　scrambled　up　again　as　fast　as　he　could。　　After　a　while　Tommy　Wilkie　hove　in　sight　amid　a　cloud　of　dust。　　Then　came　Dave　at　scarcely　faster　than　a　trot；　and　flogging　all　he　knew　with　a　piece　of　greenhide　plough…rein。　Bess　was　all…out　and　floundering。　　There　was　about　two　hundred　yards　yet　to　cover。　　Dave　kept　at　herTHUD！　THUD！　Slower　and　slower　she　came。　〃Damn　the　fellow！〃　Dad　said；　〃what's　he　beating　her　for？〃　　〃Stop　it；　you　fool！〃　he　shouted。　　But　Dave　sat　down　on　her　for　the　final　effort　and　applied　the　hide　faster　and　faster。　　Dad　crunched　his　teeth。　Oncetwicethree　times　Bess　changed　her　stride；　then　struck　a　branch…root　of　a　tree　that　projected　a　few　inches　above　ground；　and　over　she　wentCRASH！　　Dave　fell　on　his　head　and　lay　spread　out；　motionless。　　We　picked　him　up　and　carried　him　inside；　and　when　Mother　saw　blood　on　him　she　fainted　straight　off　without　waiting　to　know　if　it　were　his　own　or　not。　Both　looked　as　good　as　dead；　but　Dad；　with　a　bucket　of　water；　soon　brought　them　round　again。

It　was　scarcely　dawn　when　we　began　preparing　for　a　start　to　the　races。　Dave；　after　spending　fully　an　hour　trying　in　vain　to　pull　on　Mother's　elastic…side　boots；　decided　to　ride　in　his　own　heavy　bluchers。　　We　went　with　Dad　in　the　dray。　　Mother　would　n't　go；　she　said　she　did　n't　want　to　see　her　son　get　killed；　and　warned　Dad　that　if　anything　happened　the　blame　would　for　ever　be　on　his　head。

We　arrived　at　the　Overhaul　in　good　time。　　Dad　took　the　horse　out　of　the　dray　and　tied　him　to　a　tree。　　Dave　led　Bess　about；　and　we　stood　and　watched　the　shanty…keeper　unpacking　gingerbeer。　　Joe　asked　Dad　for　sixpence　to　buy　some；　but　Dad　had　n't　any　small　change。　　We　remained　in　front　of　the　booth　through　most　of　the　day；　and　ran　after　any　corks　that　popped　out　and　handed　them　in　again　to　the　shanty…keeper。　　He　did　n't　offer　us　anythingnot　a　thing！

〃Saddle　up　for　the　Overhaul　Handicap！〃　was　at　last　sung　out；　and　Dad；　saddle　on　arm；　advanced　to　where　Dave　was　walking　Bess　about。　　They　saddled　up　and　Dave　mounted；　looking　as　pale　as　death。

〃I　don't　like　ridin'　in　these　boots　a　bit；〃　he　said；　with　a　quiver　in　his　voice。

〃Wot's　up　with　'em？〃　Dad　asked。

〃They're　too　big　altogether。〃

〃Well；　take　'em　off　then！〃

Dave　jumped　down　and　pulled　them　off…leaving　his　socks　on。

More　than　a　dozen　horses　went　out；　and　when　the　starter　said　〃Off！〃　did　n't　they　go！　　Our　eyes　at　once　followed　Bess。　　Dave　was　at　her　right　from　the　jumpthe　very　opposite　to　what　Dad　had　told　him。　　In　the　first　furlong　she　put　fully　twenty　yards　of　daylight　between　herself　and　the　fieldshe　came　after　the　field。　　At　the　back　of　the　course　you　could　see　the　whole　of　Kyle's　selection　and　two　of　Jerry　Keefe's　hay…stacks　between　her　and　the　others。　　We　did　n't　follow　her　any　further。

After　the　race　was　won　and　they　had　cheered　the　winner；　Dad　was　n't　to　be　found　anywhere。

Dave　sat　on　the　grass　quite　exhausted。　　〃Ain't　y'　goin'　to　pull　the　saddle　off？〃　Joe　asked。

〃No；〃　he　said。　　〃I　AIN'T。　　You　don't　want　everyone　to　see　her　back；　do　you？〃

Joe　wished　he　had　sixpence。

About　an　hour　afterwards　Dad　came　staggering　along　arm…in…arm　with　another　manan　old　fencing…mate　of　his；　so　he　made　out。

〃Thur　yar；〃　he　said；　taking　off　his　hat　and　striking　Bess　on　the　rump　with　it；　〃besh　bred　mare　in　the　worl'。〃

The　fencing…mate　looked　at　her；　but　did　n't　say　anything；　he　could　n't。

〃Eh？〃　Dad　went　on；　〃say　sh'ain't？　　L'ere…ever　y'　name　isbetcher　pound　sh'is。〃

Then　a　jeering　and　laughing　crowd　gathered　round；　and　Dave　wished　he　had　n't　come　to　the　races。

〃She　ain't　well；〃　said　a　tall　man　to　Dad〃short　in　her　gallops。〃　Then　a　short；　bulky　individual　without　whiskers　shoved　his　face　up　into　Dad's　and　asked　him　if　Bess　was　a　mare　or　a　cow。　　Dad　became　excited；　and　only　that　old　Anderson　came　forward　and　took　him　away　there　must　have　been　a　row。

Anderson　put　him　in　the　dray　and　drove　it　home　to　Shingle　Hut。

Dad　reckons　now　that　there　is　nothing　in　horse…racing；　and　declares　it　a　fraud。　　He　says；　further；　that　an　honest　man；　by　training　and　racing　a　horse；　is　only　helping　to　feed　and　fatten　the　rogues　and　vagabonds　that　live　on　the　sport。




Chapter　VII。



Cranky　Jack。


It　was　early　in　the　day。　　Traveller　after　traveller　was　trudging　by　Shingle　Hut。　　One　who　carried　no　swag　halted　at　the　rails　and　came　in。　　He　asked　Dad　for　a　job。　　〃I　dunno；〃　Dad　answered〃What　wages　would　you　want？〃　The　man　said　he　would　n't　want　any。　　Dad　engaged　him　at　once。

And　SUCH　a　man！　　Tall；　bony；　heavy…jawed；　shaven　with　a　reaping…hook；　apparently。　　He　had　a　thick　crop　of　black　hairshaggy；　unkempt；　and　full　of　grease；　grass；　and　fragments　of　dry　gum…leaves。　　On　his　head　were　two　old　felt　hatsone　sewn　inside　the　other。　　On　his　back　a　shirt　made　from　a　piece　of　blue　blanket；　with　white　cotton　stitches　striding　up　and　down　it　like　lines　of　fencing。　　His　trousers　were　gloom　itself；　they　were　a　problem；　and　bore　reliable　evidence　of　his　industry。　　No　ordinary　person　would　consider　himself　out　of　work　while　in　them。　　And　the　new…comer　was　no　ordinary　person。　　He　seemed　to　have　all　the　woe　of　the　world　upon　him；　he　was　as　sad　and　weird…looking　as　a　widow　out　in　the　wet。

In　the　yard　was　a　large　heap　of　firewoodremarkable　truth！which　Dad　told　him　to　chop　up。　　He　began。　　And　how　he　worked！　　The　axe　rang　againparticularly　when　it　left　the　handleand　pieces　of　wood　scattered　everywhere。　　Dad　watched　him　chopping　for　a　while；　then　went　with　Dave　to　pull　corn。

For　hours　the　man　chopped　away　without　once　looking　at　the　sun。　　Mother　came　out。　　Joy！　　She　had　never　seen　so　much　wood　cut　before。　　She　was　delighted。　　She　made　a　cup　of　tea　and　took　it　to　the　man；　and　apologised　for　having　no　sugar　to　put　in　it。　　He　paid　no　attention　to　her；　he　worked　harder。　　Mother　waited；　holding　the　tea　in　her　hand。　　A　lump　of　wood　nearly　as　big　as　a　shingle　flew　up　and　shaved　her　left　ear。　　She　put　the　tea　on　the　ground　and　went　in　search　of　eggs　for　dinner。　　（We　were　out　of　meatthe　kangaroo…dog　was　lame。　　He　had　got　〃ripped〃　the　last　time　we　killed。）

The　tea　remained　on　the　ground。　　Chips　fell　into　it。　　The　dog　saw　it。　He　limped　towards　it　eagerly；　and　dipped　the　point　of　his　nose　in　it。　It　burnt　him。　　An　aged　rooster　strutted　along　and　looked　sideways　at　it。　HE　distrusted　it　and　went　away。　　It　attracted　the　piga　sow　with　nine　young　ones。　　She　waddled　up；　and　poked　the　cup　over　with　her　nose；　then　she　sat　down　on　it；　while　the　family　joyously　gathered　round　the　saucer。　Still　the　man　chopped　on。

Mother　returnedwithout　any　eggs。　　She　rescued　the　crockery　f