on our selection-第19节

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e'll　start　this　business　straightaway。〃　　And　the　following　morning；　headed　by　the　dog　and　Dad；　armed　with　a　tomahawk；　we　started　up　the　paddock。

How　free　we　felt！　　To　think　we　were　finished　for　ever　with　the　raking　and　carting　of　hayfinished　tramping　up　and　down　beside　Dad；　with　the　plough…reins　in　our　hands；　flies　in　our　eyes　and　burr　in　our　feetfinished　being　the　target　for　Dad's　blasphemy　when　the　plough　or　the　horses　or　the　harness　went　wrongwas　delightful！　　And　the　adventure　and　excitement　which　this　new　industry　promised　operated　strongly　upon　us。　　We　rioted　and　careered　like　hunted　brumbies　through　the　trees；　till　warned　by　Dad　to　〃keep　our　eyes　about；〃　then　we　settled　down；　and　Joe　found　the　first　bear。　It　was　on　an　ironbark　tree；　around　the　base　of　which　we　soon　were　clamouring。

〃Up　y'　go！〃　Dad　said；　cheerfully　helping　Dave　and　the　tomahawk　into　the　first　fork。

Dave　ascended　and　crawled　cautiously　along　the　limb　the　bear　was　on　and　began　to　chop。　　WE　armed　ourselves　with　　heavy　sticks　and　waited。　　The　dog　sat　on　his　tail　and　stared　and　whined　at　the　bear。　　The　limb　cracked；　and　Dave　ceased　chopping　and　shouted　〃Look　out！〃　We　shouldered　arms。　　The　dog　was　in　a　hurry。　　He　sprang　in　the　air　and　landed　on　his　back。　　But　Dave　had　to　make　another　nick　or　two。　　Then　with　a　loud　crack　the　limb　parted　and　came　sweeping　down。　　The　dog　jumped　to　meet　it。　　He　met　it；　and　was　laid　out　on　the　grass。　　The　bear　scrambled　to　its　feet　and　made　off　towards　Bill。　　Bill　squealed　and　fell　backwards　over　a　log。　　Dad　rushed　in　and　kicked　the　bear　up　like　a　football。　　It　landed　near　Joe。　Joe's　eyes　shone　with　the　hunter's　lust　of　blood。　　He　swung　his　stick　for　a　tremendous　blowswung　it　mightily　and　highand　nearly　knocked　his　parent's　head　off。　　When　Dad　had　spat　blood　enough　to　make　sure　that　he　had　only　lost　one　tooth；　he　hunted　Joe；　but　Joe　was　too　fleet；　as　usual。

Meanwhile；　the　bear　had　run　up　another　treeabout　the　tallest　old　gum　in　the　paddock。　　Dad　snapped　his　fingers　angrily　and　cried：　　〃Where　the　devil　was　the　DOG？〃

〃Oh；　where　the　devil　wuz　the　DORG？〃　Dave　growled；　sliding　down　the　tree〃where　th'　devil　wuz　YOU？　　Where　wuz　the　lot　o'　y'？〃

〃Ah；　well！〃　Dad　said　〃there's　plenty　more　we　can　get。　　Come　along。〃　And　off　we　went。　　The　dog　pulled　himself　together　and　limped　after　us。

Bears　were　plentiful　enough；　but　we　wandered　far　before　we　found　another　on　a　tree　that　Dave　could　climb；　and；　when　we　DID；　somehow　or　other　the　limb　broke　when　he　put　his　weight　on　it；　and　down　he　came；　bear　and　all。　Of　course　we　were　not　ready；　and　that　bear；　like　the　other；　got　up　another　tree。　　But　Dave　did　n't。　　He　lay　till　Dad　ran　about　two　miles　down　a　gully　to　a　dam　and　filled　his　hat　with　muddy　water　and　came　tearing　back　with　it　emptytill　Anderson　and　Mother　came　and　helped　to　carry　him　home。

We　did　n't　go　out　any　more　after　bears。　　Dave；　when　he　was　able；　went　and　got　Maloney's　colt　and　put　him　in　the　plough。　　And；　after　he　had　kicked　Dad　and　smashed　all　the　swingle…trees　about　the　place；　and　got　right　out　of　his　harness　a　couple　of　times　and　sulked　for　two　days；　he　went　well　enough　beside　Anderson's　old　grey　mare。

And　that　season；　when　everyone　else's　wheat　was　red　with　rustwhen　Anderson　and　Maloney　cut　theirs　for　haywhen　Johnson　put　a　firestick　in　hisours　was　good　to　see。　　It　ripened；　and　the　rain　kept　off；　and　we　reaped　200　bags。　　Salvation！




CHAPTER　XIX。



Nell　and　Ned。


That　harvest　of　two　hundred　bags　of　wheat　was　the　turning…point　in　the　history　of　our　selection。　　Things　somehow　seemed　to　go　better；　and　Dad's　faith　was　gradually　justifiedto　some　extent。　　We　accumulated　out…buildings　and　added　two　new　rooms　to　the　hut；　and　Dad　was　able　to　lend　old　Anderson　five　pounds　in　return　for　a　promise　to　pay　seven　pounds　ten　shillings　in　six　months'　time。　　We　increased　the　stock；　too；　by　degrees；　andcrowning　joy！we　got　a　horse　or　two　you　could　ride　to　the　township。

With　Nell　and　Ned　we　reckoned　we　had　two　saddle…horsesthose　were　their　names；　Nell　and　Ned；　a　mare　and　a　colt。　　Fine　hacks　they　were；　too！　Anybody　could　ride　them；　they　were　so　quiet。　　Dad　reckoned　Ned　was　the　better　of　the　two。　　He　was　well…bred；　and　had　a　pedigree　and　a　gentle　disposition；　and　a　bald…face；　and　a　bumble…foot；　and　a　raw　wither；　and　a　sore　back　that　gave　him　a　habit　of　〃flinching〃a　habit　that　discounted　his　uselessness　a　great　deal；　because；　when　we　were　n't　at　home；　the　women　could　n't　saddle　him　to　run　the　cows　in。　　Whenever　he　saw　the　saddle　or　heard　the　girth…buckles　rattle　he　would　start　to　flinch。　　Put　the　cloth　on　his　backfolded　or　otherwiseand；　no　matter　how　smart　you　might　be；　it　would　be　off　before　you　could　cover　it　with　the　saddle；　and　he　would　n't　have　flicked　it　with　his　tail；　or　pulled　it　off　with　his　teeth；　or　done　anything　to　it。　　He　just　flinchedmade　the　skin　on　his　backwhere　there　was　anyQUIVER。　　Throw　on　the　saddle　without　a　cloth；　and　he　would　〃give〃　in　the　middle　like　a　broken　railbend　till　his　belly　almost　touched　the　ground；　and　remain　bent　till　mounted；　then　he'd　crawl　off　and　gradually　straighten　up　as　he　became　used　to　you。　　Were　you　tender…hearted　enough　to　feel　compunction　in　sitting　down　hard　on　a　six…year…old　sore；　or　if　you　had　an　aversion　to　kicking　the　suffering　brute　with　both　heels　and　belting　his　hide　with　a　yard　or　two　of　fencing…wire　to　get　him　to　show　signs　of　animation；　you　would　dismount　and　walkperhaps；　weep。　　WE　always　rode　him　right　out；　though。

As　a　two…year…old　Ned　was　Dad's　hope。　　Pointing　proudly　to　the　long…legged；　big…headed；　ugly　moke　mooching　by　the　door；　smelling　the　dust；　he　would　say：　　〃Be　a　fine　horse　in　another　year！　　Little　sleepy…looking　yet；　that's　nothing！〃

〃Stir　him　up　a　bit；　till　we　see　how　he　canters；〃　he　said　to　Joe　one　day。　And　when　Joe　stirred　him　uprattled　a　piece　of　rock　on　his　jaw　that　nearly　knocked　his　head　offDad　took　after　Joe　and　chased　him　through　the　potatoes；　and　out　into　the　grass…paddock；　and　across　towards　Anderson's；　then　returned　and　yarded　the　colt；　and　knocked　a　patch　of　skin　off　him　with　a　rail　because　he　would　n't　stand　in　a　corner　till　he　looked　at　his　eye。　　〃Would　n't　have　anything　happen　to　that　colt　for　a　fortune！〃　he　said　to　himself。　　Then　went　away；　forgetting　to　throw　the　rails　down。　　Dave　threw　them　down　a　couple　of　days　after。

WE　preferred　Nell　to　Ned；　but　Dad　always　voted　for　the　colt。　　〃You　can　trust　him；　he'll　stand　anywhere；〃　he　used　to　say。　　Ned　WOULD！　　Once；　when　the　grass…paddock　was　burning；　he　stood　until　he　took　fire。　　Then　he　stood　while　we　hammered　him　with　boughs　to　put　the　blaze　out。　　It　took　a　lot　to　frighten　Ned。　　His　presence　of　mind　rarely　deserted　him。　　Once；　though；　he　got　a　start。　　He　was　standing　in　the　shade　of　a　tree　in　the　paddock　when　Dad　went　to　catch　him。　　He　seemed　to　be　watching　Dad；　but　was　n't。　　He　was　ASLEEP。　　〃Well；　old　chap；〃　said　Dad；　〃how　ARE　y'？〃　and　proceeded　to　bridle　him。　　Ned　opened　his　mouth　and　received　the　bit　as　usual；　only　some　of　his　tongue　came　out　and　stayed　out。　　〃Wot's　up　w'　y'？〃　and　Dad　tried　to　poke　it　in　with　his　finger；　but　it　came　out　further；　and　some　chewed　grass　dropped　into　his　hand。　　Dad　started　to　lead　him　then；　or　rather　to　PULL　him；　and　at　the　first　tug　he　have　the　reins　Ned　woke　with　a　snort　and　broke　away。　　And　when　the　other　horses　saw　him　looking　at　Dad　with　his　tail　cocked；　and　his　head　up；　and　the　bridle…reins　hanging；　they　went　for　their　lives　through　the　trees；　and　Blossom's　foal　got　staked。

Another　day　Dad　was　out　on　Ned；　looking　for　the　red　heifer；　and　came　across　two　men　fencinga　tall；　powerful…looking　man　with　a　beard；　and　a　slim　young　fellow　with　a　smooth　face。　　Also　a　kangaroo…pup。　　As　Dad　slowly　approached；　Ned　swaying　from　side　to　side　with　his　nose　to　the　ground；　the　elder　man　drove　the　crowbar　into　the　earth　and　stared　as　if　he　had　never　seen　a　man　on　horseback　before。　　The　young　fellow　sat　on　a　log　and　stared　too。　　The　pup　ran　behind　a　tree　and　growled。

〃Seen　any　cattle　round　here？〃　Dad　asked。

〃No；〃　the　man　said；　and　grinned。

〃Did　n't　notice　a　red　heifer？〃

〃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。