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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