on our selection-第5节

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new　why　Mrs。　Brown　had　been　staying　at　our　place。




Chapter　VI。



Good　Old　Bess。


Supper　was　over　at　Shingle　Hut；　and　we　were　all　seated　round　the　fireall　except　Joe。　　He　was　mousing。　　He　stood　on　the　sofa　with　one　ear　to　the　wall　in　a　listening　attitude；　and　brandished　a　table…fork。　　There　were　micemobs　of　thembetween　the　slabs　and　the　paperlayers　of　newspapers　that　had　been　pasted　one　on　the　other　for　years　until　they　were　an　inch　thick；　and　whenever　Joe　located　a　mouse　he　drove　the　fork　into　the　wall　and　pinned　itor　reckoned　he　did。

Dad　sat　pensively　at　one　corner　of　the　fire…placeDave　at　the　other　with　his　elbows　on　his　knees　and　his　chin　resting　in　his　palms。

〃Think　you　could　ride　a　race；　Dave？〃　asked　Dad。

〃Yairs；〃　answered　Dave；　without　taking　his　eyes　off　the　fire；　or　his　chin　from　his　palms〃could；　I　suppose；　if　I'd　a　pair　o'　lighter　boots　'n　these。〃

Again　they　reflected。

Joe　triumphantly　held　up　the　mutilated　form　of　a　murdered　mouse　and　invited　the　household　to　〃Look！〃　　No　one　heeded　him。

〃Would　your　Mother's　go　on　you？〃

〃Might；〃　and　Dave　spat　into　the　fire。

〃Anyway；〃　Dad　went　on；　〃we　must　have　a　go　at　this　handicap　with　the　old　mare；　it's　worth　trying　for；　and；　believe　me；　now！　she'll　surprise　a　few　of　their　flash　hacks；　will　Bess。〃

〃Yairs；　she　can　go　all　right。〃　And　Dave　spat　again　into　the　fire。

〃　GO！　　I've　never　known　anything　to　keep　up　with　her。　　Why；　bless　my　soul；　seventeen　years　ago；　when　old　Redwood　owned　her；　there　was　n't　a　horse　in　the　district　could　come　within　coo…ee　of　her。　　All　she　wants　is　a　few　feeds　of　corn　and　a　gallop　or　two；　and　mark　my　words　she'll　show　some　of　them　the　way。〃

Some　horse…races　were　being　promoted　by　the　shanty…keeper　at　the　Overhaulseven　miles　from　our　selection。　　They　were　the　first　of　the　kind　held　in　the　district；　and　the　stake　for　the　principal　event　was　five　pounds。　　It　was　n't　because　Dad　was　a　racing　man　or　subject　to　turf　hallucinations　in　any　way　that　he　thought　of　preparing　Bess　for　the　meeting。　　We　sadly　needed　those　five　pounds；　and；　as　Dad　put　it；　if　the　mare　could　only　win；　it　would　be　an　easier　and　much　quicker　way　of　making　a　bit　of　money　than　waiting　for　a　crop　to　grow。

Bess　was　hobbled　and　put　into　a　two…acre　paddock　near　the　house。　　We　put　her　there　because　of　her　wisdom。　　She　was　a　chestnut；　full　of　villainy；　an　absolutely　incorrigible　old　rogue。　　If　at　any　time　she　was　wanted　when　in　the　grass　paddock；　it　required　the　lot　of　us　from　Dad　down　to　yard　her；　as　well　as　the　dogs；　and　every　other　dog　in　the　neighbourhood。　　Not　that　she　had　any　brumby　element　in　hershe　would　have　been　easier　to　yard　if　she　hadbut　she　would　drive　steadily　enough；　alone　or　with　other　horses；　until　she　saw　the　yard；　when　she　would　turn　and　deliberately　walk　away。　If　we　walked　to　head　her　she　beat　us　by　half　a　length；　if　we　ran　she　ran；　and　stopped　when　we　stopped。　　That　was　the　aggravating　part　of　her！　　When　it　was　only　to　go　to　the　store　or　the　post…office　that　we　wanted　her；　we　could　have　walked　there　and　back　a　dozen　times　before　we　could　run　her　down；　but；　somehow；　we　generally　preferred　to　work　hard　catching　her　rather　than　walk。

When　we　had　spent　half　the　day　hunting　for　the　curry…comb；　which　we　did　n't　find；　Dad　began　to　rub　Bess　down　with　a　corn…coba　shelled　oneand　trim　her　up　a　bit。　　He　pulled　her　tail　and　cut　the　hair　off　her　heels　with　a　knife；　then　he　gave　her　some　corn　to　eat；　and　told　Joe　he　was　to　have　a　bundle　of　thistles　cut　for　her　every　night。　　Now　and　again；　while　grooming　her；　Dad　would　step　back　a　few　paces　and　look　upon　her　with　pride。

〃There's　great　breeding　in　the　old　mare；〃　he　would　say；　〃great　breeding；　look　at　the　shoulder　on　her；　and　the　loin　she　has；　and　where　did　ever　you　see　a　horse　with　the　same　nostril？　　Believe　me；　she'll　surprise　a　few　of　them！〃

We　began　to　regard　Bess　with　profound　respect；　hitherto　we　had　been　accustomed　to　pelt　her　with　potatoes　and　blue…metal。

The　only　thing　likely　to　prejudice　her　chance　in　the　race；　Dad　reckoned；　was　a　small　sore　on　her　back　about　the　size　of　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　Dav