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ree when it rained。 As a dealer； he was a hard nut； never giving more than a 〃tenner〃 for a twenty pound beast； or selling a ten pound one for less than twenty pounds。 And few knew Donovan better than did Dad； or had been taken in by him oftener； but on this occasion Dad was in no easy or benevolent frame of mind。
He sat down； and they talked of crops and the weather； and beat about the bush until Donovan said：
〃Have you any fat steers to sell？〃
Dad had n't。 〃But；〃 he added； 〃I can sell you a horse。〃
〃Which one？〃 asked Donovan； for he knew the horses as well as Dad didperhaps better。
〃The bayFarmer。〃
〃How much？〃
〃Seven pounds。〃 Now； Farmer was worth fourteen pounds； if worth a shillingthat is； before he took sickand Donovan knew it well。
〃Seven；〃 he repeated ponderingly。 〃Give you six。〃
Never before did Dad show himself such an expert in dissimulation。 He shook his head knowingly； and enquired of Donovan if he would take the horse for nothing。
〃Split the difference； thenmake it six…ten？〃
Dad rose and looked out the window。
〃There he is now；〃 he remarked sadly； 〃in the gully there。〃
〃Well； what's it to besix…ten or nothing？〃 renewed Donovan。
〃All right； then；〃 Dad replied； demurely； 〃take him！〃
The money was paid there and then and receipts drawn up。 Then； saying that Mick would come for the horse on the day following； and after offering a little gratuitous advice on seed…wheat and pig…sticking； the Donovans left。
Mick came the next day； and Dad showed him Farmer； under the bushes。 He was n't dead； because when Joe sat on him he moved。 〃There he is；〃 said Dad； grinning。
Mick remained seated on his horse； bewildered…looking； staring first at Farmer； then at Dad。
〃Well？〃 Dad remarked； still grinning。 Then Mick spoke feelingly。
〃YOU SWINDLING OLD CRAWLER！〃 he said； and galloped away。 It was well for him he got a good start。
For long after that we turned the horses and cows into the little paddock at night； and if ever the dog barked Dad would jump up and go out in his shirt。
We put them back into the paddock again； and the first night they were there two cows got out and went away； taking with them the chain that fastened the slip…rails。 We never saw or heard of them again； but Dad treasured them in his heart。 Often； when he was thoughtful； he would ponder out plans for getting even with the Donovanswe knew it was the Donovans。 And Fate seemed to be of Dad's mind； for the Donovans got into 〃trouble；〃； and were reported to be 〃doing time。〃 That pleased Dad； but the vengeance was a little vague。 He would have liked a finger in the pie himself。
Four years passed。 It was after supper； and we were all husking corn in the barn。 Old Anderson and young Tom Anderson and Mrs。 Maloney were helping us。 We were to assist them the following week。 The barn was illuminated by fat…lamps； which made the spiders in the rafters uneasy and disturbed the slumbers of a few fowls that for months had insisted on roosting on the cross…beam。
Mrs。 Maloney was arguing with Anderson。 She was claiming to have husked two cobs to his one； when the dogs started barking savagely。 Dad crawled from beneath a heap of husks and went out。 The night was dark。 He bade the dogs 〃Lie down。〃 They barked louder。 〃Damn youlie down！〃 he roared。 They shut up。 Then a voice from the darkness said：
〃Is that you； Mr。 Rudd？〃
Dad failed to recognise it； and went to the fence where the visitor was。 He remained there talking for fully half…an…hour。 Then he returned； and said it was young Donovan。
〃DONOVAN！ MICK Donovan？〃 exclaimed Anderson。 And Mother and Mrs。 Maloney and Joe echoed 〃MICK Donovan？〃 They WERE surprised。
〃He's none too welcome；〃 said Anderson； thinking of his horses and cows。 Mother agreed with him； while Mrs。 Maloney repeated over and over again that she was always under the impression that Mick Donovan was in gaol along with his bad old father。 Dad was uncommunicative。 There was something on his mind。 He waited till the company had gone； then consulted with Dave。
They were outside； in the dark； and leant on the dray。 Dad said in a low voice： 〃He's come a hundred mile to…day； 'n' his horse is dead…beat； 'n' he wants one t' take him t' Back Creek t'morrer 'n' leave this one in his place。。。Wot d'y' think？〃 Dave seemed to think a great deal； for he said nothing。
〃Now；〃 continued Dad； 〃it's me opinion the horse is n't his； it's one he's shookan' I've an idea。〃 Then he proceeded to instruct Dave in the idea。 A while later he called Joe and drilled him in the idea。
That night； young Donovan stayed at Shingle Hut。 In the morning Dad was very affable。 He asked Donovan to come and show him his horse； as he must see it before thinking of exchanging。 They proceeded to the paddock together。 The horse was standing under a tree； tired…looking。 Dad stood and looked at Donovan for fully half…a…minute without speaking。
〃Why； damn it！〃 he exclaimed； at last； 〃that's MY OWN horse。。。You don't mean。。。S'help me！ Old Bess's foal！〃 Donovan told him he was making a mistake。
〃Mistake be hanged！〃 replied Dad； walking round the animal。 〃Not much of a mistake about HIM！〃
Just here Dave appeared； as was proper。
〃Do you know this horse？〃 Dad asked him。 〃Yes； of course；〃 he answered； surprisedly； with his eyes open wide； 〃Bess's foal！of course it is。〃
〃There you are！〃 said Dad； grinning triumphantly。
Donovan seemed uneasy。
Joe in his turn appeared。 Dad put the same question to him。 Of course Joe knew Bess's foal〃the one that got stole。〃
There was a silence。
〃Now；〃 said Dad； looking very grave； 〃what have y' got t' say？ Who'd y' get him off？ Show's y'r receipt。〃
Donovan had nothing to say； he preferred to be silent。
〃Then；〃 Dad went on； 〃clear out of this as fast as you can go； an' think y'rself lucky。〃
He cleared； but on foot。
Dad gazed after him； and； as he left the paddock； said：
〃One too many f' y' that time； Mick Donovan！〃 Then to Dave； who was still looking at the horse： 〃He's a stolen one right enough； but he's a beauty； and we'll keep him； and if the owner ever comes for him； wellif he is the ownerhe can have him； that's all。〃
We had the horse for eighteen months and more。 One day Dad rode him to town。 He was no sooner there than a man came up and claimed him。 Dad objected。 The man went off and brought a policeman。 〃Orright〃Dad said〃TAKE him。〃 The policeman took him。 He took Dad too。 The lawyer got Dad off； but it cost us five bags of potatoes。 Dad did n't grudge them； for he reckoned we'd had value。 Besides； he was even with the Donovans for the two cows。
Chapter XI。
A Splendid Year For Corn。
We had just finished supper。 Supper！ dry bread and sugarless tea。 Dad was tired out and was resting at one end of the sofa； Joe was stretched at the other； without a pillow； and his legs tangled up among Dad's。 Bill and Tom squatted in the ashes； while Mother tried to put the fat…lamp into burning order by poking it with a table…fork。
Dad was silent； he seemed sad； and lay for some time gazing at the roof。 He might have been watching the blaze of the glorious moon or counting the stars through the gaps in the shingles； but he was n'tthere was no such sentiment in Dad。 He was thinking how his long years of toil and worry had been rewarded again and again by disappointmentwondering if ever there would be a turn in his luck； and how he was going to get enough out of the land that season to pay interest and keep Mother and us in bread and meat。
At last he spoke； or rather muttered disjointedly； 〃Plen…tyto eatin the safe。〃 Then suddenly； in a strange and hollow voice； he shouted；〃 THEY' RE DEADALL OF THEN！ I STARVED THEM！〃
Mother DID get a fright。 She screamed。 Then Dad jumped up； rubbing his eyes； and asked what was the matter。 Nothing was the matter THEN。 He had dozed and talked in his sleep； that was all； he had n't starved anyone。 Joe did n't jump up when Mother screamednot altogether； he raised himself and reached for Dad's pillow； then lay down and snored serenely till bed…time。
Dad sat gloomily by the fire and meditated。 Mother spoke pleadingly to him and asked him not to fret。 He ran his fingers uneasily through his hair and spat in the ashes。 〃Don't fret？ When there's not a bit to eat in the placewhen there's no way of getting anything； and whenmerciful God！every year sees things worse than they were before。〃
〃It's only fancy；〃 Mother went on。 〃And you've been brooding and brooding till it seems far worse than it really is。〃
〃It's no fancy； Ellen。〃 Then； after a pause〃Was the thirty acres of wheat that did n't come up fancy？ Is it only fancy that we've lost nearly every beast in the paddock？ Was the drought itself a fancy？ Nono。〃 And he shook his head sadly and stared again into the fire。
Dad's inclination was to leave the selection； but Mother pleaded for another trial of itjust one more。 She had wonderful faith in the selection； had Mother。 She pleaded until the fire burned low； then Dad rose and said： 〃Well； we'll try it once more with corn； and if nothing comes of it why then we MUST give it up。〃 Then he took the spade and raked the fire together