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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 and surrounded the hay…stack。 Dad saw them from the paddock and cooeed； and shouted for those at the house to drive them away。 They did n't hear him。 Dad left the plough and ran up and pelted Anderson's cows with stones and glass…bottles； and pursued them with a pitch…fork till； in a mad rush to get out； half the brutes fell over the fence and made havoc with the wire。 Dad spent an hour mending it； then went to the verandah and savagely asked Mother if she had lost her ears。 Mother said she had n't。 〃Then why the devil could n't y' hear me singin' out？〃 Mother thought it must have been because Dan was playing the concertina。 〃Oh； DAMN his concertina！〃 Dad squealed； and kicked Joe's little kitten； that was rubbing itself fondly against his leg； clean through the house。
Dan found the selection pretty slowso he told Motherand thought he would knock about a bit。 He went to the store and bought a supply of ammunition； which he booked to Dad； and started shooting。 He stood at the door and put twenty bullets into the barn； then he shot two bears near the stock…yard with twenty more bullets； and dragged both bears down to the house and left them at the back…door。 They stayed at the back…door until they went very bad； then Dad hooked himself to them and dragged them down the gully。
Somehow； Dad began to hate Dan！ He scarcely ever spoke to him now； and at meal…times never spoke to any of us。 Dad was a hard man to understand。 We could n't understand him。 〃And with DAN at home； too！〃 Sal used to whine。 Sal verily idolised Dan。 Hero…worship was strong in Sal。
One night Dad came in for supper rather later than usual。 He'd had a hard day； and was done up。 To make matters worse； when he was taking the collar off Captain the brute tramped heavily on his toe； and took the nail off。 Supper was n't ready。 The dining…room was engaged。 Dan was showing Sal how the Prince of Wales schottische was danced in the huts Out Back。 For music； Sal was humming； and the two were flying about the room。 Dad stood at the door and looked on； with blood in his eye。
〃Look here！〃 he thundered suddenly； interrupting Dan〃I've had enough of you！〃 The couple stopped； astonished； and Sal cried； 〃DAD！〃 But Dad was hot。 〃Out of this！〃 （placing his hand on Dan； and shoving him）。 〃You've loafed long enough on me！ Off y' go t' th' devil！〃
Dan went over to Anderson's and Anderson took him in and kept him a week。 Then Dan took Anderson down at a new game of cards； and went away West again。
Chapter XV。
Our Circus。
Dave had been to town and came home full of circus。 He sat on the ground beside the tubs while Mother and Sal were washing； and raved about the riding and the tumbling he had seen。 He talked enthusiastically to Joe about it every day for three weeks。 Dave rose very high in Joe's estimation。
Raining。 All of us inside。 Sal on the sofa playing the concertina； Dad squatting on the edge of a flat stone at the corner of the fireplace； Dave on another opposite； both gazing into the fire； which was almost out； and listening intently to the music； the dog； dripping wet； coiled at their feet； shivering； Mother sitting dreamily at the table； her palm pressed against her cheek； also enjoying the music。
Sal played on until the concertina broke。 Then there was a silence。
For a while Dave played with a piece of charcoal。 At last he spoke。
〃Well；〃 he said； looking at Dad； 〃what about this circus？〃
Dad chuckled。
〃But what d' y' THINK？〃
〃Well〃 （Dad paused）； 〃yes〃 （chuckled again）〃very well。〃
〃A CIRCUS！〃 Sal put in〃a PRETTY circus YOUS'D have！〃
Dave fired up。
〃YOU go and ride the red heifer； strad…legs； same as y' did yesterday；〃 he snarled； 〃an' let all the country see y'。〃
Sal blushed。
Then to Dad：
〃I'm certain； with Paddy Maloney in it； we could do it right enough； and make it pay； too。〃
〃Very well； then；〃 said Dad； 〃very well。 There's th' tarpaulin there； and plenty bales and old bags whenever you're ready。〃
Dave was delighted； and he and Dad and Joe ran out to see where the tent could be pitched； and ran in again wetter than the dog。
One day a circus…tent went up in our yard。 It attracted a lot of notice。 Two of the Johnsons and old Anderson and others rode in on draught…horses and inspected it。 And Smith's spring…cart horse； that used to be driven by every day； stopped in the middle of the lane and stared at it； and； when Smith stood up and belted him with the double of the reins； he bolted and upset the cart over a stump。 It was n't a very white tent。 It was made of bags and green bushes； and Dad and Dave and Paddy Maloney were two days putting it up。
We all assisted in the preparations for the circus。 Dad built seats out of forked sticks and slabs； and Joe gathered jam…tins which Mother filled with fat and moleskin wicks to light up with。
Everyone in the district knew about our circus； and longed for the opening night。 It came。 A large fire near the slip…rails； shining across the lane and lighting up a corner of the wheat…paddock； showed the way in。
Dad stood at the door to take the money。 The Andersonseleven of themarrived first。 They did n't walk straight in。 They hung about for a while。 Then Anderson sidled up to Dad and talked into his ear。 〃Oh！ that's all right；〃 Dad said； and passed them all in without taking any money。
Next came the Maloneys； and； as Paddy belonged to the circus； they also walked in without paying； and secured front seats。
Then Jim Brown and Sam Holmes； and Walter Nutt； and Steve Burton； and eight others strolled along。 Dad owed all of them money for binding； which they happened to remember。 〃In yous go；〃 Dad said； and in the lot went。 The tent filled quickly； and the crowd awaited the opening act。
Paddy Maloney came forward with his hair oiled and combed； and rang the cow…bell。
Dave； bare…footed and bare…headed； in snow…white moles and red shirt； entered standing majestically upon old Ned's back。 He got a great reception。 But Ned was tired and refused to canter。 He jogged lazily round the ring。 Dave shouted at him and rocked about。 He was very unsteady。 Paddy Maloney flogged Ned with the leg…rope。 But Ned had been flogged often before。 He got slower and slower。 Suddenly； he stood and cocked his tail； and to prevent himself falling； Dave jumped off。 Then the audience yelled while Dave dragged Ned into the dressing…room and punched him on the nose。
Paddy Maloney made a speech。 He said： 〃Well； the next item on the programme'll knock y' bandy。 Keep quiet； you fellows； now； an' y'll see somethin'。〃
They saw Joe。 He stepped backwards into the ring； pulling at a string。 There was something on the string。 〃Come on！〃 Joe said； tugging。 The 〃something〃 would n't come。 〃Chuck 'im in！〃 Joe called out。 Then the pet kangaroo was heaved in through the doorway； and fell on its head and raised the dust。 A great many ugly dogs rushed for it savagely。 The kangaroo jumped up and bounded round the ring。 The dogs pursued him noisily。 〃GERROUT！〃 Joe shouted； and the crowd stood up and became very enthusiastic。 The dogs caught the kangaroo； and were dragging him to earth when Dad rushed in and kicked them in twos to the top of the tent。 Then； while Johnson expostulated with Dad for laming his brindle slut； the kangaroo dived through a hole in the tent and rushed into the house and into the bedroom； and sprang on the bed among a lot of babies and women's hats。
When the commotion subsided Paddy Maloney rang the cow…bell again； and Dave and 〃Podgy；〃 the pet sheep； rode out on Nugget。 Podgy sat with hind…legs astride the horse and his head leaning back against Dave's chest。 Dave （standing up） bent over him with a pair of shears in his hand。 He was to shear Podgy as the horse cantered round。
Paddy Maloney touched Nugget with the whip； and off he went〃rump…ti…dee； dump…ti…dee。〃 Dave rolled about a lot the first time round； but soon got his equilibrium。 He brandished the shears and plunged the points of them into Podgy's belly…woolalso into Podgy's skin。 〃Bur…UR…R！〃 Podgy blurted and struggled violently。 Dave began to topple about。 He dropped the shears。 The audience guffawed。 Then Dave jumped； but Podgy's horns got caught in his clothes and made trouble。 Dave hung on one side of the horse and the sheep dangled on the other。 Dave sang out； so did Podgy。 And the horse stopped and snorted； then swung furiously round and round until five or six pairs of hands seized his head and held him。
Dave did n't repeat the act。 He ran away holding his clothes together。
It was a very successful circus。 Everyone enjoyed it and wished to see it againeveryone but the Maloneys。 They said it was a swindle； and ran Dad down because he did n't divide with Paddy the 3s。 6d。 he took at the door。
Chapter XVI。
When Joe Was In Charge。
Joe was a naturalist。 He spent a lot of timetime that Dad considered should have been employed cutting burr or digging potatoesin ear…marking bears and bandicoots； and catching goannas and letting them go without their tails； or co