on our selection-第14节

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　up　in　the　wires。　　Some　toppled　over；　some　were　caught　by　the　legs；　some　by　the　horns。　　They　dragged　the　wire　twenty　and　thirty　yards　away；　twisted　it　round　logs；　and　left　a　lot　of　the　posts　pointing　to　sunset。

Oh；　Dad's　language　then！　　He　swung　his　arms　about　and　foamed　at　the　mouth。　Dave　edged　away　from　him。

Joe　came　up　waving　triumphantly　a　chewed　piece　of　the　waistcoat。　　〃D…d…did　it　g…give　them　a　buster；　Dad？〃　he　said；　the　sweat　running　over　his　face　as　though　a　spring　had　broken　out　on　top　of　his　head。　　Dad　jumped　a　log　and　tried　to　unbuckle　his　strap　and　reach　for　Joe　at　the　same　time；　but　Joe　fled。

That　threw　a　painful　pall　over　everything。　　Dad　declared　he　was　sick　and　tired　of　the　whole　thing；　and　would　n't　do　another　hand's…turn。　　Dave　meditated　and　walked　along　the　fence；　plucking　off　scraps　of　skin　and　hair　that　here　and　there　clung　to　the　bent　and　battered　wire。

We　had　just　finished　supper　when　old　Bob　Wren；　a　bachelor　who　farmed　about　two　miles　from　us；　arrived。　　He　used　to　come　over　every　mail…night　and　bring　his　newspaper　with　him。　　Bob　could　n't　read　a　word；　so　he　always　got　Dad　to　spell　over　the　paper　to　him。　　WE　did　n't　take　a　newspaper。

Bob　said　there　were　clouds　gathering　behind　Flat　Top　when　he　came　in；　and　Dad　went　out　and　looked；　and　for　the　fiftieth　time　that　day　prayed　in　his　own　way　for　rain。　　Then　he　took　the　paper；　and　we　gathered　at　the　table　to　listen。　　〃Hello；〃　he　commenced；　〃this　is　M'Doolan's　paper　you've　got；　Bob。〃

Bob　rather　thought　it　was　n't。

〃Yes；　yes；　man；　it　IS；〃　Dad　put　in；　〃see；　it's　addressed　to　him。〃

Bob　leaned　over　and　LOOKED　at　the　address；　and　said：　　〃No；　no；　that's　mine；　it　always　comes　like　that。〃　　Dad　laughed。　　We　all　laughed。　　He　opened　it；　anyway。　　He　　had　n't　read　for　five　minutes　when　the　light　flickered　nearly　out。　　Sarah　reckoned　the　oil　was　about　done；　and　poured　water　in　the　lamp　to　raise　the　kerosene　to　the　wick；　but　that　did　n't　last　long；　and；　as　there　was　no　fat　in　the　house；　Dad　squatted　on　the　floor　and　read　by　the　firelight。

He　plodded　through　the　paper　tediously　from　end　to　end；　reading　the　murders　and　robberies　a　second　time。　　The　clouds　that　old　Bob　said　were　gathering　when　he　came　in　were　now　developing　to　a　storm；　for　the　wind　began　to　rise；　and　the　giant　iron…bark　tree　that　grew　close　behind　the　house　swayed　and　creaked　weirdly；　and　threw　out　those　strange　sobs　and　moans　that　on　wild　nights　bring　terror　to　the　hearts　of　bush　children。　　A　glimmer　of　lightning　appeared　through　the　cracks　in　the　slabs。　　Old　Bob　said　he　would　go　before　it　came　on；　and　started　into　the　inky　darkness。

〃It's　coming！〃　Dad　said；　as　he　shut　the　door　and　put　the　peg　in　after　seeing　old　Bob　out。　　And　it　camein　no　time。　　A　fierce　wind　struck　the　house。　　Then　a　vivid　flash　of　lightning　lit　up　every　crack　and　hole；　and　a　clap　of　thunder　followed　that　nearly　shook　the　place　down。

Dad　ran　to　the　back　door　and　put　his　shoulder　against　it；　Dave　stood　to　the　front　one；　and　Sarah　sat　on　the　sofa　with　her　arms　around　Mother；　telling　her　not　to　be　afraid。　　The　wind　blew　furiouslyits　one　aim　seemed　the　shifting　of　the　house。　　Gust　after　gust　struck　the　walls　and　left　them　quivering。　　The　children　screamed。　　Dad　called　and　shouted；　but　no　one　could　catch　a　word　he　said。　　Then　there　was　one　tremendous　crackwe　understood　itthe　iron…bark　tree　had　gone　over。　　At　last；　the　shingled　roof　commenced　to　give。　　Several　times　the　ends　rose　（and　our　hair　too）　and　fell　back　into　place　again　with　a　clap。　　Then　it　went　clean　away　in　one　piece；　with　a　rip　like　splitting　a　ribbon；　and　there　we　stood；　affrighted　and　shelterless；　inside　the　walls。　　Then　the　wind　went　down　and　it　rainedrained　on　us　all　night。

Next　morning　Joe　had　been　to　the　new　fence　for　the　axe　for　Dad；　and　was　off　again　as　fast　as　he　could　run；　when　he　remembered　something　and　called　out；　〃Dad；　old　B…B…Bob's　just　over　there；　lyin'　down　in　the　gully。〃

Dad　started　up。　　〃It's　'im　all　rightI　w…w…would　n'ter　noticed；　only　Prince　s…s…smelt　him。〃

〃Quick　and　show　me　where！〃　Dad　said。

Joe　showed　him。

〃My　God！〃　and　Dad　stood　and　stared。　　Old　Bob　it　wasdead。　　Dead　as　Moses。

〃Poor　old　Bob！〃　Dad　said。　　〃Poor…old…fellow！〃　　Joe　asked　what　could　have　killed　him？　　〃Poor…old…Bob！〃

Dave　brought　the　dray；　and　we　took　him　to　the　houseor　what　remained　of　it。

Dad　could　n't　make　out　the　cause　of　deathperhaps　it　was　lightning。　　He　held　a　POST…MORTEM；　and；　after　thinking　hard　for　a　long　while；　told　Mother　he　was　certain；　anyway；　that　old　Bob　would　never　get　up　again。　　It　was　a　change　to　have　a　dead　man　about　the　place；　and　we　were　very　pleased　to　be　first　to　tell　anyone　who　did　n't　know　the　news　about　old　Bob。

We　planted　him　on　his　own　selection　beneath　a　gum…tree；　where　for　years　and　years　a　family　of　jackasses　nightly　roosted；　Dad　remarking：　　〃As　there　MIGHT　be　a　chance　of　his　hearin'；　it'll　be　company　for　the　poor　old　cove。〃




Chapter　XIV。



When　Dan　Came　Home。


One　night　after　the　threshing。　　Dad　lying　on　the　sofa；　thinking；　the　rest　of　us　sitting　at　the　table。　　Dad　spoke　to　Joe。

〃How　much；〃　he　said；　〃is　seven　hundred　bushels　of　wheat　at　six　shillings？〃

Joe；　who　was　looked　upon　as　the　brainy　one　of　our　family；　took　down　his　slate　with　a　hint　of　scholarly　ostentation。

〃What　did　y'　say；　Dadseven　'undred　BAGS？〃

〃Bushels！　　BUSHELS！〃

〃Seven　'un…dered　bush…els…of　wheatWHEAT　was　it；　Dad？〃

〃Yes；　WHEAT！〃

〃Wheat　at。。。At　WHAT；　Dad？〃

〃Six　shillings　a　bushel。〃

〃Six　shil…lings…a。。。。　　A；　Dad？　We've　not　done　any　at　A；　she's　on'y　showed　us　PER！〃

〃PER　bushel；　then！〃

〃Per　bush…el。　　That's　seven　'undered　bushels　of　wheat　at　six　shillin's　per　bushel。　　An'　y'　wants　ter　know；　Dad？〃

〃How　much　it'll　be；　of　course。〃

〃In　money；　Dad；　orer？〃

〃Dammit；　yes；　MONEY！〃　　Dad　raised　his　voice。

For　a　while；　Joe　thought　hard；　then　set　to　work　figuring　and　rubbing　out；　figuring　and　rubbing　out。　　The　rest　of　us　eyed　him；　envious　of　his　learning。

Joe　finished　the　sum。

〃Well？〃　from　Dad。

Joe　cleared　his　throat。　　We　listened。

〃Nine　thousan'　poun'。〃

Dave　laughed　loud。　　Dad　said；　〃Pshaw！〃　and　turned　his　face　to　the　wall。　Joe　looked　at　the　slate　again。

〃Oh！　　I　see；〃　he　said；　〃I　did　n't　divide　by　twelve　t'　bring　t'　pounds；〃　and　laughed　himself。

More　figuring　and　rubbing　out。

Finally　Joe；　in　loud；　decisive　tones；　announced；　〃FOUR　thousand；　NO　'undered　an'　twenty　poun'；　fourteen　shillin's　an'〃

〃Bah！　　YOU　blockhead！〃　Dad　blurted　out；　and　jumped　off　the　sofa　and　went　to　bed。

We　all　turned　in。

We　were　not　in　bed　long　when　the　dog　barked　and　a　horse　entered　the　yard。　There　was　a　clink　of　girth…buckles；　a　saddle　thrown　down；　then　a　thump；　as　though　with　a　lump　of　blue…metal；　set　the　dog　yelping　lustily。　　We　lay　listening　till　a　voice　called　out　at　the　door〃All　in　bed？〃　Then　we　knew　it　was　Dan；　and　Dad　and　Dave　sprang　out　in　their　shirts　to　let　him　in。　All　of　us　jumped　up　to　see　Dan。　　This　time　he　had　been　away　a　long　while；　and　when　the　slush…lamp　was　lit　and　fairly　going；　how　we　stared　and　wondered　at　his　altered　looks！　　He　had　grown　a　long　whisker；　and　must　have　stood　inches　higher　than　Dad。

Dad　was　delighted。　　He　put　a　fire　on；　made　tea；　and　he　and　Dan　talked　till　near　daybreakDad　of　the　harvest；　and　the　Government　dam　that　was　promised；　and　the　splendid　grass　growing　in　the　paddock；　Dan　of　the　great　dry　plains；　and　the　shearing…sheds　out　back；　and　the　chaps　he　had　met　there。　　And　he　related　in　a　way　that　made　Dad's　eyes　glisten　and　Joe's　mouth　open；　how；　with　a　knocked…up　wrist；　he　shore　beside　Proctor　and　big　Andy　Purcell；　at　Welltown；　and　rung　the　shed　by　half　a　sheep。

Dad　ardently　admired　Dan。

Dan　was　only　going　to　stay　a　short　while　at　home；　he　said；　then　was　off　West　again。　　Dad　tried　to　persuade　him　to　change　his　mind；　he　would　have　him　remain　and　help　to　work　the　selection。　　But　Dan　only　shook　his　head　and　laughed。

Dan　accompanied　Dad　to　the　plough　every　morning；　and　walked　cheerfully　up　and　down　the　furrows　all　day；　talking　to　him。　　Sometimes　he　took　a　turn　at　the　plough；　and　Dad　did　the　talking。　　Dad　just　loved　Dan's　company。

A　few　days　went　by。　　Dan　still　accompanied　Dad　to　the　plough；　but　did　n't　walk　up　and　down　with　him。　　He　selected　a　shade　close　by；　and　talked　to　Dad　from　there　as　he　passed　on　his　rounds。　　Sometimes　Dan　used　to　forget　to　talk　at　allhe　would　be　asleepand　Dad　would　wonder　if　he　was　unwell。　Once　he　advised　him　to　go　up　to　the　house　and　have　a　good　camp。　　Dan　went。　He　stretched　himself　on　the　sofa；　and　smoked　and　spat　on　the　floor　and　played　the　concertinaan　old　one　he　won　in　a　raffle。

Dan　did　n't　go　near　the　plough　any　more。　　He　stayed　inside　every　day；　and　drank　the　yeast；　and　provided　music　for　the　women。　　Sometimes　he　would　leave　the　sofa；　and　go　to　the　back…door　and　look　out；　and　watch　Dad　tearing　up　and　down　the　paddock　after　the　plough；　then　he'd　yawn；　and　wonder　aloud　what　the　diggins　it　was　the　old　man　saw　in　a　game　like　that　on　a　hot　day；　and　return　to　the　sofa；　tired。　　But　every　evening　when　Dad　knocked　off　and　brought　the　horses　to　the　barn　Dan　went　out　and　watched　him　unharnessing　them。

A　month　passed。　　Dad　was　n't　so　fond　of　Dan　now；　and　Dan　never　talked　of　going　away。　　One　day　Anderson's　cows　wandered　into　our　yard　an