按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Mother and Sal talked about him。
〃Better give him his supper；〃 Sal said； and Mother sent Joe to invite him in。 He did n't come in at once。 Casey was n't a forward man。 He stayed to throw some pumpkin to the pigs。
Casey slept in the barn that night。 He slept in it the next night； too。 He did n't believe in shifting from place to place； so he stayed with us altogether。 He took a lively interest in the selection。 The house； he said； was in the wrong place； and he showed Mother where it ought to have been built。 He suggested shifting it； and setting a hedge and ornamental trees in front and fruit trees at the back； and making a nice place of it。 Little things like that pleased Mother。 〃Anyway；〃 she would sometimes say to Sal； 〃he's a useful old man； and knows how to look after things about the place。〃 Casey did。 Whenever any watermelons were ripe； he looked after THEM and hid the skins in the ground。 And if a goanna or a crow came and frightened a hen from her nest Casey always got the egg； and when he had gobbled it up he would chase that crow or goanna for its life and shout lustily。
Every day saw Casey more at home at our place。 He was a very kind man； and most obliging。 If a traveller called for a drink of water； Casey would give him a cup of milk and ask him to wait and have dinner。 If Maloney； or old Anderson； or anybody； wished to borrow a horse； or a dray； or anything about the place； Casey would let them have it with pleasure； and tell them not to be in a hurry about returning it。
Joe got on well with Casey。 Casey's views on hard work were the same as Joe's。 Hard work； Joe thought； was n't necessary on a selection。
Casey knew a thing or twoso he said。 One fine morning； when all the sky was blue and the butcher…birds whistling strong； Dwyer's cows smashed down a lot of the fence and dragged it into the corn。 Casey； assisted by Joe； put them all in the yard； and hammered them with sticks。 Dwyer came along。
〃Those cattle belong to me；〃 he said angrily。
〃They belongs t' ME；〃 Casey answered； 〃until you pay damages。〃 Then he put his back to the slip…rails and looked up aggressively into Dwyer's face。 Dwyer was a giant beside Casey。 Dwyer did n't say anythinghe was n't a man of wordsbut started throwing the rails down to let the cows out。 Casey flew at him。 Dwyer quietly shoved him away with his long； brown arm。 Casey came again and fastened on to Dwyer。 Joe mounted the stockyard。 Dwyer seized Casey with both hands； then there was a struggleon Casey's part。 Dwyer lifted him up and carried him away and set him down on his back； then hastened to the rails。 But before he could throw them down Casey was upon him again。 Casey never knew when he was beaten。 Dwyer was getting annoyed。 He took Casey by the back of the neck and squeezed him。 Casey humped his shoulders and gasped。 Dwyer stared about。 A plough…rein hung on the yard。 Dwyer reached for it。 Casey yelled； 〃Murder！〃 Dwyer fastened one end of the rope round Casey's bodyunder the armsand stared about again。 And again 〃Murder！〃 from Casey。 Joe jumped off the yard to get further away。 A tree； with a high horizontal limb； stood near。 Dad once used it as a butcher's gallows。 Dwyer gathered the loose rein into a coil and heaved it over the limb； and hauled Casey up。 Then he tied the end of the rope to the yard and drove out the cows。
〃When y' want 'im down；〃 Dwyer said to Joe as he walked away； 〃cut the rope。〃
Casey groaned； and one of his boots dropped off。 Then he began to spin roundto wind up and unwind and wind up again。 Joe came near and eyed the twirling form with joy。
Mother and Sal arrived； breathless and excited。 They screeched at Joe。
〃Undo th' r…r…rope；〃 Joe said； 〃an' he'll come w…wWOP。〃
Sal ran away and procured a sheet； and Mother and she held it under Casey； and told Joe to unfasten the rope and lower him as steadily as he could。 Joe unfastened the rope； but somehow it pinched his fingers and he let go； and Casey fell through the sheet。 For three weeks Casey was an invalid at our place。 He would have been invalided there for the rest of his days only old Dad came home and induced him to leave。 Casey did n't want to go； but Dad had a persuasive way with him that generally proved effectual。
Singularly enough； Dad complained that kangaroos were getting scarce where he was camped； while our paddocks were full of them。 Joe started a mob nearly every day； as he walked round overseeing things； and he pondered。 Suddenly he had an original inspirationoriginality was Joe's strong point。 He turned the barn into a workshop； and buried himself there for two days。 For two whole days he was never 〃at home；〃； except when he stepped out to throw the hammer at the dog for yelping for a drink。 The greedy brute！ it was n't a week since he'd had a billyfulJoe told him。 On the morning of the third day the barn…door swung open； and forth came a kangaroo； with the sharpened carving knife in its paws。 It hopped across the yard and sat up； bold and erect； near the dog…kennel。 Bluey nearly broke his neck trying to get at it。 The kangaroo said： 〃Lay down； you useless hound！〃 and started across the cultivation！； heading for the grass…paddock in long； erratic jumps。 Half…way across the cultivation it spotted a mob of other kangaroos； and took a firmer grip of the carver。
Bluey howled and plunged until Mother came out to see what was the matter。 She was in time to see a solitary kangaroo hop in a drunken manner towards the fence； so she let the dog go and cried； 〃Sool him； Bluey！ Sool him！〃 Bluey sooled him； and Mother followed with the axe to get the scalp。 As the dog came racing up； the kangaroo turned and hissed； 〃G' home； y' mongrel！〃 Bluey took no notice； and only when he had nailed the kangaroo dextrously by the thigh and got him down did it dawn upon the marsupial that Bluey was n't in the secret。 Joe tore off his head…gear； called the dog affectionately by name； and yelled for help； but Bluey had not had anything substantial to eat for over a week； and he worried away vigorously。
Then the kangaroo slashed out with the carving…knife； and hacked a junk off Bluey's nose。 Bluey shook his head； relaxed his thigh…grip； and grabbed the kangaroo by the ribs。 How that kangaroo did squeal！ Mother arrived。 She dropped the axe； threw up both hands； and shrieked。 〃Pull him off！ he's eating me！〃 gasped the kangaroo。 Mother shrieked louder； and wrung her hands； but it had no effect on Bluey。 He was a good dog； was Bluey！
At last； Mother got him by the tail and dragged him off； but he took a mouthful of kangaroo with him as he went。
Then the kangaroo raised itself slowly on to its hands and knees。 It was very white and sick…looking； and Mother threw her arms round it and cried； 〃Oh； Joe！ My child！ my child！〃
It was several days before Joe felt better。 When he did； Bluey and he went down the gully together； and； after a while； Joe came backlike Butleralone。
Chapter XVII。
Dad's 〃Fortune。〃
Dad used to say that Shingle Hut was the finest selection on Darling Downs； but WE never could see anything fine about itexcept the weather in drought time； or Dad's old saddle mare。 SHE was very fine。 The house was built in a gully so that the bailiffs （I suppose） or the blackswho were mostly deadcould n't locate it。 An old wire…fence； slanting all directions； staggered past the front door。 At the rear； its foot almost in the back door； sloped a barren ridge； formerly a squatter's sheep…yard。 For the rest there were sky； wallaby…scrub； gum…trees； and some acres of cultivation。 But Dad must have seen something in it； or he would n't have stood feasting his eyes on the wooded waste after he had knocked off work of an evening。 In all his wanderingsand Dad had been almost everywhere； swimming flooded creeks and rivers； humping his swag from one end of Australia to the other； at all games going except bank…managing and bushranginghe had seen no place timbered like Shingle Hut。
〃Why；〃 he used to say； 〃it's a fortune in itself。 Hold on till the country gets populated； and firewood is scarce； there'll be money in it thenmark my words！〃
Poor Dad！ I wonder how long he expected to live？
At the back of Shingle Hut was a tract of Government landmostly mountainsmarked on the map as the Great Dividing Range。 Splendid country； Dad considered itBEAUTIFUL countryand part of a grand scheme he had in his head。 I defy you to find a man more full of schemes than Dad was。
The day had been hot。 Inside； the mosquitoes were bad； and； after supper； Dad and Dave were outside； lying on some bags。 They had been grubbing that day； and were tired。 The night was nearly dark。 Dad lay upon his back； watching the stars； Dave upon his stomach； his head resting on his arms。 Both silent。 One of the draught…horses cropped the couch…grass round about them。 Now and again a flying…fox circled noiselessly overhead； and 〃MOPOKE！MOPOKE！〃 came dismally from the ridge and from out the lonely…looking gully。 A star fell； lighting up a portion of the sky； but Dad did not remark it。 In a while he said：
〃How old are you； Dave？〃 Dave made a mental calculation before answering。
〃S'pose I must be eighteen now 。。。