on our selection- 第18部分

〃No；〃　grinning　more。

The　kangaroo…pup　left　the　tree　and　sniffed　at　Ned's　heels。

〃Won't　kick；　will　he？〃　said　the　man。

The　young　fellow　broke　into　a　loud　laugh　and　fell　off　the　log。

〃No；〃　Dad　replied〃he's　PERFECTLY　quiet。〃

〃He　LOOKS　quiet。〃

The　young　fellow　took　a　fit　of　coughing。

After　a　pause。　　〃Well；　you　did　n't　see　any　about；　then？〃　and　Dad　wheeled　Ned　round　to　go　away。

〃No；　I　DID　N'T；　old　man；〃　the　other　answered；　and　snatched　hold　of　Ned's　tail　and　hung　back　with　all　his　might。　　Ned　grunted　and　strained　and　tore　the　ground　up　with　his　toes；　Dad　spurred　and　leathered　him　with　a　strap；　looking　straight　ahead。　　The　man　hung　on。　　〃Come　'long；〃　Dad　said。　　The　pup　barked。　　〃COME　'long　with　YER！〃　Dad　said。　　The　young　fellow　fell　off　the　log　again。　　Ned's　tail　cracked。　　Dad　hit　him　between　the　ears。　　The　tail　cracked　again。　　A　piece　of　it　came　off；　then　Ned　stumbled　and　went　on　his　head。　　〃What　the　DEVIL！〃　Dad　said；　looking　round。　　But　only　the　young　fellow　was　laughing。

Nell　was　different　from　Ned。　　She　was　a　bay；　with　yellow　flanks　and　a　lump　under　her　belly；　a　bright　eye；　lop　ears；　and　heavy；　hairy　legs。　　She　was　a　very　wise　mare。　　It　was　　wonderful　how　much　she　know。　　She　knew　when　she　was　wanted；　and　she　would　go　away　the　night　before　and　get　lost。　　And　she　knew　when　she　was　n't　wanted；　then　she'd　hang　about　the　back…door　licking　a　hole　in　the　ground　where　the　dish…water　was　thrown；　or　fossicking　at　the　barn　for　the　corn　Dad　had　hidden；　or　scratching　her　neck　or　her　rump　against　the　cultivation　paddock　slip…rails。　　She　always　scratched　herself　against　those　slip…railssometimes　for　hoursalways　until　they　fell　down。　Then　she'd　walk　in　and　eat。　　And　how　she　COULD　eat！

As　a　hack；　Nell　was　unreliable。　　You　could　n't　reckon　with　certainty　on　getting　her　to　start。　　All　depended　on　the　humour　she　was　in　and　the　direction　you　wished　to　takemostly　the　direction。　　If　towards　the　grass…paddock　or　the　dam；　she　was　off　helter…skelter。　　If　it　was　n't；　she'd　go　on　strikeput　her　head　down　and　chew　the　bit。　　Then；　when　you'd　get　to　work　on　her　with　a　waddywhich　we　always　didshe'd　walk　backwards　into　the　house　and　frighten　Mother；　or　into　the　waterhole　and　dirty　the　water。　　Dad　said　it　was　the　fault　of　the　cove　who　broke　her　in。　　Dad　was　a　just　man。　　The　〃cove〃　was　a　union　shearerdid　it　for　four　shillings　and　six　pence。　　Wanted　five　bob；　but　Dad　beat　him　down。　　Anybody　else　would　have　asked　a　pound。

When　Nell　DID　make　up　her　mind　to　go；　it　was　with　a　rush；　and；　if　the　slip…rails　were　on　the　ground；　she'd　refuse　to　take　them。　　She'd　stand　and　look　out　into　the　lane。　　　You'd　have　to　get　off　and　drag　the　rails　aside　（about　twenty；　counting　broken　ones）。　　Then　she'd　fancy　they　were　up；　and　would　shake　her　head　and　mark　time　until　you　dug　your　heels　into　her；　then　she'd　gather　herself　together　and　jump　high　enough　for　a　showover　nothing！

Dave　was　to　ride　Nell　to　town　one　Christmas　to　see　the　sports。　　He　had　n't　seen　any　sports　before；　and　went　to　bed　excited　and　rose　in　the　middle　of　the　night　to　start。　　He　dressed　in　the　dark；　and　we　heard　him　going　out；　because　he　fell　over　Sandy　and　Kate。　　They　had　come　on　a　visit；　and　were　sleeping　on　the　floor　in　the　front　room。　　We　also　heard　him　throw　the　slip…rails　down。

There　was　a　heavy　fog　that　morning。　　At　breakfast　we　talked　about　Dave；　and　Dad　〃s'posed〃　he　would　just　about　be　getting　in；　but　an　hour　or　two　after　breakfast　the　fog　cleared；　and　we　saw　Dave　in　the　lane　hammering　Nell　with　a　stick。　　Nell　had　her　rump　to　the　fence　and　was　trying　hard　to　kick　it　down。　　Dad　went　to　him。　　〃Take　her　gently；　take　her　GENTLY；　boy；〃　he　shouted。　　〃PSHAW！　　take　her　GENTLY！〃　Dave　shouted　back。　　〃Here〃he　jumped　off　her　and　handed　Dad　the　reins〃take　her　away　and　cut　her　throat。〃　　Then　he　cried；　and　then　he　picked　up　a　big　stone　and　rushed　at　Nell's　head。　　But　Dad　interfered。

But　the　day　Dad　mounted　Nell　to　bring　a　doctor　to　Anderson！　　She　started　away　smartlythe　wrong　road。　　Dad　jerked　her　mouth　and　pulled　her　round　roughly。　　He　was　in　a　hurryNell　was　n't。　　She　stood　and　shook　her　head　and　switched　her　tail。　　Dad　rattled　a　waddy　on　her　and　jammed　his　heels　hard　against　her　ribs。　　She　dropped　her　head　and　cow…kicked。　　Then　he　coaxed　her。　　〃Come　on；　old　girl；〃　he　said；　〃come　on；〃and　patted　her　on　the　neck。　　She　liked　being　patted。　　That　exasperated　Dad。　　He　hit　her　on　the　head　with　his　fist。　　Joe　ran　out　with　a　long　stick。　　He　poked　her　in　the　flank。　　Nell　kicked　the　stick　out　of　his　hands　and　bolted　towards　the　dam。　　Dad　pulled　and　swore　as　she　bore　him　along。　　And　when　he　did　haul　her　in；　he　was　two　hundred　yards　further　from　the　doctor。　　Dad　turned　her　round　and　once　more　used　the　waddy。　　Nell　was　obdurate；　Dad　exhausted。　Joe　joined　them；　out　of　breath。　　He　poked　Nell　with　the　stick　again。　　She　〃kicked　up。〃　　Dad　lost　his　balance。　　Joe　laughed。　　Dad　said；　〃St…o…op！〃　Joe　was　energetic。　　So　was　Nell。　　She　kicked　up　againstrongand　Dad　fell　off。

〃Wot；　could'n'　y'　s…s…s…stick　to　'er；　Dad？〃　Joe　asked。

〃STICK　BE　DAMNEDrunCATCH　her！DN　y'！〃

Joe　obeyed。

Dad　made　another　start；　and　this　time　Nell　went　willingly。　　Dad　was　leading　her！

Those　two　old　horses　are　dead　now。　　They　died　in　the　summer　when　there　was　lots　of　grass　and　waterjust　when　Dad　had　broken　them　into　harnessjust　when　he　was　getting　a　good　team　together　to　draw　logs　for　the　new　railway　line！




CHAPTER　XX。



The　Cow　We　Bought。


When　Dad　received　two　hundred　pounds　for　the　wheat　he　saw　nothing　but　success　and　happiness　ahead。　　His　faith　in　the　farm　and　farming　swelled。　Dad　was　not　a　pessimistwhen　he　had　two　hundred　pounds。

〃Say　what　they　like；〃　he　held　forth　to　Anderson　and　two　other　men　across　the　rails　one　evening〃talk　how　they　will　about　it；　there's　money　to　be　made　at　farming。　　Let　a　man　WORK　and　use　his　HEAD　and　know　what　to　sow　and　when　to　sow　it；　and　he　MUST　do　well。〃　（Anderson　stroked　his　beard　in　grave　silence；　HE　had　had　no　wheat）。　　〃Why；　once　a　farmer　gets　on　at　all　he's　the　most　independent　man　in　the　whole　country。〃

〃Yes！　　Once　he　DOES！〃　drawled　one　of　the　men；a　weird；　withered　fellow　with　a　scraggy　beard　and　a　reflective　turn　of　mind。

〃Jusso；〃　Dad　went　on；　〃but　he　must　use　his　HEAD；　it's　　all　in　th'　head。〃　（He　tapped　his　own　skull　with　his　finger）。　　〃Where　would　I　be　now　if　I　had　n't　used　me　head　this　last　season？〃

He　paused　for　an　answer。　　None　came。

〃I　say；〃　he　continued；　〃it's　a　mistake　to　think　nothing's　to　be　made　at　farming；　and　any　man〃　（〃Come　to　supper；　DAD！〃't　was　Sal's　voice）　〃ought　t'　get　on　where　there's　land　like　this。〃

〃LAND！〃　said　the　same　man〃where　IS　it？〃

〃Where　IS　it？〃　Dad　warmed　up〃where　IS　N'T　it？　　Is　n't　this　land？〃　（Looking　all　round。）　　〃Is　n't　the　whole　country　land　from　one　end　to　the　other？　　And　is　there　another　country　like　it　anywhere？〃

〃There　is　n't！〃　said　the　man。

〃Is　there　any　other　country　in　th'　WORLD〃　（Dad　lifted　his　voice）　〃where　a　man；　if　he　likes；　can　live〃　（〃Dad；　tea！〃）　〃without　a　shilling　in　his　pocket　and　without　doing　a　tap　of　work　from　one　year's　end　to　the　other？〃

Anderson　did　n't　quite　understand；　and　the　weird　man　asked　Dad　if　he　meant　〃in　gaol。〃

〃I　mean；〃　Dad　said；　〃that　no　man　should　starve　in　this　country　when　there's　kangaroos　and　bears　and〃（Joe　came　and　stood　beside　Dad　and　asked　him　if　he　was　DEAF）〃and　goannas　and　snakes　in　thousands。　　Look　here！〃　（still　to　the　weird　man）；　〃you　say　that　farming〃（Mother；　bare…headed；　came　out　and　stood　beside　Joe；　and　asked　Anderson　if　Mrs。　Anderson　had　got　a　nurse　yet；　and　Anderson　smiled　and　said　he　believed　another　son　had　just　arrived；　but　he　had　n't　seen　it）〃that　farming　don't　pay〃（Sal　came　along　and　stood　near　Mother　and　asked　Anderson　who　the　baby　was　like）〃don't　pay　in　this　country？〃

The　man　nodded。

〃It　will　pay　any　man　who〃

Interruption。

Anderson's　big　dog　had　wandered　to　the　house；　and　came　back　with　nearly　all　that　was　for　supper　in　his　mouth。

Sal　squealed。

〃DROP　ITDROP　IT；　Bob！〃　Anderson　shouted；　giving　chase。　　Bob　dropped　it　on　the　road。

〃DAMN　IT！〃　said　Dad；　glaring　at　Mother；　〃wot　d'　y'　ALL　want　out　'ere？。。。Y…YOU　brute！〃　（to　the　dog；　calmly　licking　its　lips）。

Then　Anderson　and　the　two　men　went　away。

But　when　we　had　paid　sixty　pounds　to　the　storekeeper　and　thirty　pounds　in　interest；　and　paid　for　the　seed　and　the　reaping　and　threshing　of　the　wheat；　and　bought　three　plough…horses；　and　a　hack　for　Dave；　and　a　corn…sheller；　and　a　tank；　and　clothes　for　us　all；　and　put　rations　in　the　house；　and　lent　Anderson　five　pounds；　and　improved　Shingle　Hut；　and　so　on；　very　little　of　the　two　hundred　pounds　was　left。

Mother　spoke　of　getting　a　cow。　　The　children；　she　said；　could　n't　live　without　milk　and　when　Dad　heard　from　Johnson　and　Dwyer　that　Eastbrook　dairy　cattle　were　to　be　sold　at　auction；　he　said　he　would　go　down　and　buy　one。

Very　early。　　The　stars　had　scarcely　left　the　sky。　　There　was　a　lot　of　groping　and　stumbling　about　the　room。　　Dad　and　Dave　had　risen　and　were　preparing　to　go　to　the　sale。

I　don't　remember　if　the　sky　was　golden　or　gorgeous　at　all；　or　if　the　mountain　was　clothed　in　mist；　or　if　any　fragrance　came　from　the　wattle…trees　when　they　were　leaving；　but　Johnson；　without　hat　or　boots；　was　picking　splinters　off　the　slabs　of　his　hut　to　start　his　fire　with；　and　a　mile　further　on　Smith's　dog　was　barking　furiously。　　He　was　a　famous　barker。　　Smith　trained　him　to　it　to　keep　the　wallabies　off。　　Smith　used　to　chain　him　to　a　tree　in　the　paddock　and　hang　a　piece　of　meat　to　the　branches；　and　leave　him　there　all　night。

Dad　and　Dave　rode　steadily　along　and　arrived　at　Eastbrook　before　mid…day。　The　old　station　was　on　its　last　legs。　　〃The　flags　were　flying　half…mast　high。〃　A　crowd　of　people　were　there。　　Cart…horses　with　harness　on；　and　a　lot　of　tired…looking　saddle…hacks；　covered　with　dry　sweat；　were　fastened　to　cart…wheels；　and　to　every　available　post　and　place。　　Heaps　of　old　iron；　broken…down　drays　and　buggies　and　wheel…barrows；　pumps　and　pieces　of　machinery；　which　Dad　reckoned　were　worth　a　lot　of　money；　were　scattered　about。　　Dad　yearned　to　gather　them　all　up　and　cart　them　home。　　Rows　of　unshaven　men　were　seated　high　on　the　rails　of　the　yards。　　The　yards　were　filled　with　cattlecows；　heifers；　bulls；　and　calves；　all　separatebellowing；　and；　in　a　friendl