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〃How old are you； Dave？〃 Dave made a mental calculation before answering。
〃S'pose I must be eighteen now 。。。Why？〃
A silence。
〃I've been thinking of that land at the backif we had that I believe we could make money。〃
〃Yairsif we HAD。〃
Another silence。
〃Well； I mean to have it； and that before very long。〃
Dave raised his head； and looked towards Dad。
〃There's four of you old enough to take up land； and where could you get better country than that out there for cattle？ Why〃 （turning on his side and facing Dave） 〃with a thousand acres of that stocked with cattle and this kept under cultivation we'd make moneywe'd be RICH in a very few years。〃
Dave raised himself on his elbow。
〃Yairswith CATTLE；〃 he said。
〃Just so〃 （Dad sat up with enthusiasm）； 〃but to get the LAND is the first thing； and that's easy enough ONLY〃 （lowering his voice） 〃it'll have to be done QUIETLY and without letting everyone 'round know we're going in for it。〃 （〃Oh！ yairs； o' course；〃 from Dave。） 〃THEN〃 （and Dad lifted his voice and leaned over） 〃run a couple of wires round it； put every cow we've here on it straight away； get another one or two when the barley's sold； and let them breed。〃
〃'Bout how many'd that be t' start 'n？〃
〃Well； EIGHT good cows at the leastplenty； too。 It's simply WONDERFUL how cattle breed if they're let alone。 Look at Murphy； for instance。 Started on that place with two young heifersthose two old red cows that you see knocking about now。 THEY'RE the mothers of all his cattle。 Anderson just the same。。。Why； God bless my soul！ we would have a better start than any one of them ever hadby a long way。〃
Dave sat up。 He began to share Dad's enthusiasm。
〃Once get it STOCKED； and all that is to be done then is simply to look after the fence； ride about among the cattle every day； see they're right； brand the calves； and every year muster the mob； draft out the fat bullocks； whip them into town； and get our seven and eight pounds a head for them。〃
〃That'd suit me down to the ground； ridin' about after cattle；〃 Dave said。
〃Yes； get our seven and eight pounds； maybe nine or ten pounds a…piece。 And could ever we do that pottering about on the place？〃 Dad leaned over further and pressed Dave's knee with his hand。
〃Mind you！〃 （in a very confidential tone） 〃I'm not at all satisfied the way we're dragging along here。 It's utter nonsense； and； to speak the truth〃 （lowering his voice again） 〃I'VE BEEN SICK OF THE WHOLE DAMN THING LONG AGO。〃
A minute or two passed。
〃It would n't matter；〃 Dad continued； 〃if there was no way of doing better； but there IS。 The thing only requires to be DONE； and why not DO it？〃 He paused for an answer。
〃Well；〃 Dave said； 〃let us commence it straight offt'morror。 It's the life that'd suit ME。〃
〃Of course it WOULD。。。and there's money in it。。。no mistake about it！〃
A few minutes passed。 Then they went inside； and Dad took Mother into his confidence； and they sat up half the night discussing the scheme。
Twelve months later。 The storekeeper was at the house wanting to see Dad。 Dad was n't at home。 He never was when the storekeeper came； he generally contrived to be away； up the paddock somewhere or amongst the cornif any was growing。 The storekeeper waited an hour or so； but Dad did n't turn up。 When he was gone； though； Dad walked in and asked Mother what he had said。 Mother was seated on the sofa； troubled…looking。
〃He must be paid by next week；〃 she said； bursting into tears； 〃or the place'll be sold over our heads。〃
Dad stood with his back to the fire…place； his hand locked behind him； watching the flies swarming on the table。
Dave came in。 He understood the situation at a glance。 The scene was not new to him。 He sat down； leant forward； picked a straw off the flor and twisted it round and round his finger； reflecting。
Little Bill put his head on Mother's lap； and asked for a piece of bread。。。He asked a second time。
〃There IS no bread； child；〃 she said。
〃But me wants some； mumma。〃
Dad went outside and Dave followed。 They sat on their heels； their backs to the barn； thoughtfully studying the earth。
〃It's the same thing〃Dad said； reproachfully〃from one year's end to the other。。。alwuz a BILL！〃
〃Thought last year we'd be over all this by now！〃 from Dave。
〃So we COULD。。。Can NOW。。。It only wants that land to be taken up； and； as I've said often and often； these cows taken〃
Dad caught sight of the storekeeper coming back； and ran into the barn。
Six months later。 Dinner about ready。 〃Take up a thousand acres；〃 Dad was saying； 〃take it up〃
He was interrupted by a visitor。
〃Are you Mister Rudd？〃 Dad said he was。
〃Well； erI've a FI。 FA。 against y'。〃
Dad didn't understand。
The Sheriff's officer drew a document from his inside breast…pocket and proceeded to read：
〃To Mister James Williams； my bailiff。 Greeting： By virtue of Her Majesty's writ of FIERI FACIAS； to me directed； I command you that of the goods and chattels； money； bank…note or notes or other property of Murtagh Joseph Rudd； of Shingle Hut； in my bailiwick； you cause to be made the sum of forty pounds ten shillings； with interest thereon；〃 &c。
Dad understood。
Then the bailiff's man rounded up the cows and the horses； and Dad and the lot of us leant against the fence and in sadness watched Polly and old Poley and the rest for the last time pass out the slip…rails。
〃That puts an end to the land business！〃 Dave said gloomily。
But Dad never spoke。
Chapter XVIII。
We Embark in the Bear Industry。
When the bailiff came and took away the cows and horses； and completely knocked the bottom out of Dad's land scheme； Dad did n't sit in the ashes and sulk。 He was n't that kind of person。 He DID at times say he was tired of it all； and often he wished it far enough； too！ But； then； that was all mere talk on Dad's part。 He LOVED the selection。 To every inchevery stick of ithe was devoted。 'T was his creed。 He felt certain there was money in itthat out of it would come his independence。 Therefore； he did n't rollup and； with Mother by the hand and little Bill on his back； stalk into town to hang round and abuse the bush。 He walked up and down the yard thinking and thinking。 Dad was a man with a head。
He consulted Mother and Dave； and together they thought more。
〃The thing is；〃 Dad said； 〃to get another horse to finish the bit of ploughing。 We've got ONE； Anderson will lend the grey mare； I know。〃
He walked round the room a few times。
〃When that's done； I think I see my way clear； but THAT'S the trouble。〃
He looked at Dave。 Dave seemed as though he had a solution。 But Joe spoke。
〃Kuk…kuk…could n't y' b…reak in some kang'roos； Dad？ There's pul…lenty in th' pup…paddick。〃
〃Could n't you shut up and hold your tongue and clear out of this； you brat？〃 Dad roared。 And Joe hung his head and shut up。
〃Well； y' know〃Dave drawled〃there's that colt wot Maloney offered us before to quieten。 Could get 'im。 'E's a big lump of a 'orse if y' could do anythin' with 'im。 THEY gave 'im best themselves。〃
Dad's eyes shone。
〃That's th' horse；〃 he cried。 〃GET him！ To…morrow first thing go for him！ I'LL make something of him！〃
〃Don't know〃Dave chuckled〃he's a〃
〃Tut； tut； you fetch him。〃
〃Oh； I'll FETCH 'im。〃 And Dave； on the strength of having made a valuable suggestion； dragged Joe off the sofa and stretched himself upon it。
Dad went on thinking awhile。 〃How much；〃 he at last asked； 〃did Johnson get for those skins？〃
〃Which？〃 Dave answered。 〃Bears or kangaroos？〃
〃Bears。〃
〃Five bob； was n't it？ Six for some。〃
〃What； A…PIECE？〃
〃Yairs。〃
〃Why； God bless my soul； what have we been thinking about？ FIVE SHILLINGS？ Are you sure？〃
〃Yairs； rather。〃
〃What； bear…skins worth that and the paddock here and the lanes and the country over…run with themFULL of the damn thingsHUNDREDS of themand we； all this timeall these yearsworking and slaving and scraping and…and〃 （he almost shouted）； 〃DAMN me！ What asses we HAVE been； to be sure。〃 （Dave stared at him。） 〃Bear…skins FIVE SHILLINGS each； and〃
〃That's all right enough；〃 Dave interrupted； 〃but〃
〃Of COURSE it's all right enough NOW；〃 Dad yelled； 〃now when we see it。〃
〃But look！〃 and Dave sat up and assumed an arbitrary attitude。 He was growing suspicious of Dad's ideas。 〃To begin with； how many bears do you reckon on getting in a day？〃
〃In a day〃reflectively〃twenty at the least。〃
〃Twenty。 Well； say we only got HALF that； how much d' y' make？〃
〃 MAKE？〃 （considering）。 〃Two pounds ten a day。。。fifteen or twenty pounds a week。。。yes； TWENTY POUNDS； reckoning at THAT even。 And do you mean to tell ME that we would n't get more than TEN bears a day？ Why we'd get more than that in the laneget more up ONE tree。〃
Dave grinned。
〃Can't you SEE？ DAMN it； boy； are you so DENSE？〃
Dave saw。 He became enthusiastic。 He wondered why it had never struck us before。 Then Dad smiled； and we sat to supper and talked about bears。
〃We'll not bother with that horse NOW；〃 said Dad； 〃the ploughing can go； I'm DONE with it。 We've had enough poking and puddling about。 We'll start this business straightaway。〃 And the f