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　take　that　down　this　morning？〃

Joe　unhooked　it　and　said：　　〃But　if　I　hang　it　anywhere　else　the　dog'll　get　it。〃

Dad　tried　to　laugh　at　Joe；　and　said；　loudly；　〃And　what　else　is　it　for？〃　Then　he　bustled　Joe　off　before　he　could　answer　him　again。

Joe　did　n't　understand。

Then　Dad　said　（putting　the　leg　in　a　bag）：　　〃Do　you　want　everyone　to　know　we　eat　it；　　you？〃

Joe　understood。

The　ceremony　commenced。　　Those　who　could　squeeze　inside　did　sothe　others　looked　in　at　the　window　and　through　the　cracks　in　the　chimney。

Mrs。　M'Doolan　led　Kate　out　of　the　back…room；　then　Sandy　rose　from　the　fire…place　and　stood　beside　her。　　Everyone　thought　Kate　looked　very　niceand　orange　blossoms！　　You'd　think　she　was　an　orange…tree　with　a　new　bed…curtain　thrown　over　it。　　Sandy　looked　well；　too；　in　his　snake…belt　and　new　tweeds；　but　he　seemed　uncomfortable　when　the　pin　that　Dave　put　in　the　back　of　his　collar　came　out。

The　parson　did　n't　take　long；　and　how　they　scrambled　and　tumbled　over　each　other　at　the　finish！　　Charley　Mace　said　that　he　got　the　first　kiss；　Big　George　said　HE　did；　and　Mrs。　M'Doolan　was　certain　she　would　have　got　it　only　for　the　baby。

Fun！　　there　WAS　fun！　　The　room　was　cleared　and　they　promenaded　for　a　danceSandy　and　Kate　in　the　lead。　　They　continued　promenading　until　one　of　the　well…sinkers　called　for　the　concertinaours　had　been　repaired　till　you　could　get　only　three　notes　out　of　it；　but　Jim　Burke　jumped　on　his　horse　and　went　home　for　his　accordion。

Dance！　　they　did　dance！until　sun…rise。　　But　unless　you　were　dancing　you　could　n't　stay　inside；　because　the　floor　broke　up；　and　talk　about　dust！before　morning　the　room　was　like　a　drafting…yard。

It　was　a　great　wedding；　and　though　years　have　since　passed；　all　the　neighbours　say　still　it　was　the　best　they　were　ever　at。




Chapter　XIII。



The　Summer　Old　Bob　Died。


It　was　a　real　scorcher。　　A　soft；　sweltering　summer's　day。　　The　air　quivered；　the　heat　drove　the　fowls　under　the　dray　and　sent　the　old　dog　to　sleep　upon　the　floor　inside　the　house。　　The　iron　on　the　skillion　cracked　and　sweatedso　did　Dad　and　Dave　down　the　paddock；　grubbinggrubbing；　in　130　degrees　of　sunshine。　　They　were　clearing　a　piece　of　new　landa　heavily…timbered　box…tree　flat。　　They　had　been　at　it　a　fortnight；　and　if　any　music　was　in　the　ring　of　the　axe　or　the　rattle　of　the　pick　when　commencing；　there　was　none　now。

Dad　wished　to　be　cheerful　and　complacent。　　He　said　（putting　the　pick　down　and　dragging　his　flannel　off　to　wring　it）：　　〃It's　a　good　thing　to　sweat　well。〃　　Dave　did　n't　say　anything。　　I　don't　know　what　he　thought；　but　he　looked　up　at　Dadjust　looked　up　at　himwhile　the　perspiration　filled　his　eyes　and　ran　down　over　his　nose　like　rain　off　a　shingle；　then　he　hitched　up　his　pants　and　〃wired　in〃　again。

Dave　was　a　philosopher。　　He　worked　away　until　the　axe　flew　off　the　handle　with　a　ring　and　a　bound；　and　might　have　been　lost　in　the　long　grass　for　ever　only　Dad　stopped　it　with　　his　shin。　　I　fancy　he　did　n't　mean　to　stop　it　when　I　think　how　he　jumpedit　was　the　only　piece　of　excitement　there　had　been　the　whole　of　that　relentlessly　solemn　fortnight。　　Dad　got　vexedhe　was　in　a　hurry　with　the　grubbingand　said　he　never　could　get　anything　done　without　something　going　wrong。　　Dave　was　n't　sorry　the　axe　came　offhe　knew　it　meant　half…an…hour　in　the　shade　fixing　it　on　again。　〃Anyway；〃　Dad　went　on；　〃we'll　go　to　dinner　now。〃

On　the　way　to　the　house　he　several　times　looked　at　the　skythat　cloudless；　burning　skyand　saidto　no　one　in　particular；　〃I　wish　to　God　it　would　rain！〃　　It　sounded　like　an　aggravated　prayer。　　Dave　did　n't　speak；　and　I　don't　think　Dad　expected　he　would。

Joe　was　the　last　to　sit　down　to　dinner；　and　he　came　in　steaming　hot。　　He　had　chased　out　of　sight　a　cow　that　had　poked　into　the　cultivation。　　Joe　mostly　went　about　with　green　bushes　in　his　hat；　to　keep　his　head　cool；　and　a　few　gum…leaves　were　now　sticking　in　his　moist　and　matted　hair。

〃I　put　her　out；　Dad！〃　he　said；　casting　an　eager　glare　at　everything　on　the　table。　　〃She　tried　to　jump　and　got　stuck　on　the　fence；　and　broke　it　all　down。　　On'y　I　could　n't　get　anything；　I'd　er　broke　'er　headthere　was　n't　a　thing；　on'y　dead　cornstalks　and　cow…dung　about。〃　Then　he　lunged　his　fork　desperately　at　a　blowfly　that　persistently　hovered　about　his　plate；　and　commenced。

Joe　had　a　healthy　appetite。　　He　had　charged　his　mouth　with　a　load　of　cold　meat；　when　his　jaws　ceased　work；　and；　opening　his　mouth　as　though　he　were　sleepy；　he　leaned　forward　and　calmly　returned　it　all　to　the　plate。　　Dad　got　suspicious　and　asked　Joe　what　was　up；　but　Joe　only　wiped　his　mouth；　looked　sideways　at　his　plate；　and　pushed　it　away。

All　of　us　stopped　eating　then；　and　stared　at　each　other。　　Mother　said；　〃Well；　II　wrapped　a　cloth　round　it　so　nothing　could　get　in；　and　put　it　in　the　safeI　don't　know　where　on　earth　to　put　the　meat；　I'm　sure；　if　I　put　it　in　a　bag　and　hang　it　up　that　thief　of　a　dog　gets　it。〃

〃Yes；〃　Dad　observed；　〃I　believe　he'd　stick　his　nose　into　hell　itself；　Ellen；　if　he　thought　there　was　a　bone　thereand　there　ought　to　be　lots　by　this　time。〃　　Then　he　turned　over　the　remains　of　that　cold　meat；　and；　considering　we　had　all　witnessed　the　last　kick　of　the　slaughtered　beast；　it　was　surprising　what　animation　this　part　of　him　yet　retained。　　In　vain　did　Dad　explore　for　a　really　dead　piecethere　was　life　in　all　of　it。

Joe　was　n't　satisfied。　　He　said　he　knew　where　there　was　a　lot　of　eggs；　and　disappeared　down　the　yard。　　Eggs　were　not　plentiful　on　our　selection；　because　we　too　often　had　to　eat　the　hens　when　there　was　no　meatthree　or　four　were　as　many　as　we　ever　saw　at　one　time。　　So　on　this　day；　when　Joe　appeared　with　a　hatful；　there　was　excitement。　　He　felt　himself　a　hero。　We　thought　him　a　little　saviour。

〃My！〃　said　Mother；　〃where　did　you　get　all　those？〃

〃Get　'em！　　I've　had　these　planted　for　three　muncethey're　a　nest　I　found　long　ago；　I　thought　I　would　n't　say　anythink　till　we　really　wanted　'em。〃

Just　then　one　of　the　eggs　fell　out　of　the　hat　and　went　off　〃pop〃　on　the　floor。

Dave　nearly　upset　the　table；　he　rose　so　suddenly；　and　covering　his　nose　with　one　hand　he　made　for　the　door；　then　he　scowled　back　over　his　shoulder　at　Joe。　　He　utterly　scorned　his　brother　Joe。　　All　of　us　deserted　the　table　except　Dadhe　stuck　to　his　place　manfully；　it　took　a　lot　to　shift　HIM。

Joe　must　have　had　a　fine　nerve。　　〃That's　on'y　one　bad　'n'；〃　he　said；　taking　the　rest　to　the　fireplace　where　the　kettle　stood。　　Then　Dad；　who　had　remained　calm　and　majestic；　broke　out。　　〃Damn　y'；　boy！〃　he　yelled；　〃take　th'　awful　things　outsideYOU　tinker！〃　　Joe　took　them　out　and　tried　them　all；　but　I　forget　if　he　found　a　good　one。

Dad　peered　into　the　almost…empty　water…cask　and　again　muttered　a　short　prayer　for　rain。　　He　decided　to　do　no　more　grubbing　that　day；　but　to　run　wire　around　the　new　land　instead。　　The　posts　had　been　in　the　ground　some　time；　and　were　bored。　　Dave　and　Sarah　bored　them。　　Sarah　was　as　good　as　any　manso　Dad　reckoned。　　She　could　turn　her　hand　to　anything；　from　sewing　a　shirt　to　sinking　a　post…hole。　　She　could　give　Dave　inches　in　arm　measurements；　and　talk　about　a　leg！　　She　HAD　a　lega　beauty！　　It　was　as　thick　at　the　ankle　as　Dad's　was　at　the　thigh；　nearly。

Anyone　who　would　know　what　real　amusement　is　should　try　wiring　posts。　What　was　to　have　been　the　top　wire　（the　No。　8　stuff）　Dad　commenced　to　put　in　the　bottom　holes；　and　we　ran　it　through　some　twelve　or　fifteen　posts　before　he　saw　the　mistakethen　we　dragged　it　out　slowly　and　savagely；　Dad　swearing　adequately　all　the　time。

At　last　everything　went　splendidly。　　We　dragged　the　wire　through　panel　after　panel；　and　at　intervals　Dad　would　examine　the　blistering　sky　for　signs　of　rain。　　Once　when　he　looked　up　a　red　bullock　was　reaching　for　his　waistcoat；　which　hung　on　a　branch　of　a　low　tree。　　Dad　sang　out。　　The　bullock　poked　out　his　tongue　and　reached　higher。　　Then　Dad　told　Joe　to　run。　　Joe　ranso　did　the　bullock；　but　faster；　and　with　the　waistcoat　that　once　was　a　part　of　Mother's　shawl　half…way　down　his　throat。　　Had　the　shreds　and　ribbons　that　dangled　to　it　been　a　little　longer；　he　might　have　trodden　on　them　and　pulled　it　back；　but　he　did　n't。　　Joe　deemed　it　his　duty　to　follow　that　red　bullock　till　it　dropped　the　waistcoat；　so　he　hammered　along　full　split　behind。　　Dad　and　Dave　stood　watching　until　pursued　and　pursuer　vanished　down　the　gully；　then　Dad　said　something　about　Joe　being　a　fool；　and　they　pulled　at　the　wire　again。　　They　were　nearing　a　corner　post；　and　Dad　was　hauling　the　wire　through　the　last　panel；　when　there　came　the　devil's　own　noise　of　galloping　hoofs。　　Fifty　or　more　cattle　came　careering　along　straight　for　the　fence；　bellowing　and　kicking　up　their　heels　in　the　air；　as　cattle　do　sometimes　after　a　shower　of　rain。　Joe　was　behind　themconsiderablystill　at　full　speed　and　yelping　like　a　dog。　　Joe　loved　excitement。

For　weeks　those　cattle　had　been　accustomed　to　go　in　and　out　between　the　posts；　and　they　did　n't　seem　to　have　any　thoughts　of　wire　as　they　bounded　along。　　Dave　stood　with　gaping　mouth。　　Dad　groaned；　and　the　wire's…end　he　was　holding　in　his　hand　flew　up　with　a　whiz　and　took　a　scrap　of　his　ear　away。　　The　cattle　got　mixed　up　in　the　wires。　　Some　toppled　over；　some　were　caught　by　the　legs；　some　by　the　horns。　　They　dragged