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e； lop ears； and heavy； hairy legs。 She was a very wise mare。 It was wonderful how much she know。 She knew when she was wanted； and she would go away the night before and get lost。 And she knew when she was n't wanted； then she'd hang about the back…door licking a hole in the ground where the dish…water was thrown； or fossicking at the barn for the corn Dad had hidden； or scratching her neck or her rump against the cultivation paddock slip…rails。 She always scratched herself against those slip…railssometimes for hoursalways until they fell down。 Then she'd walk in and eat。 And how she COULD eat！
As a hack； Nell was unreliable。 You could n't reckon with certainty on getting her to start。 All depended on the humour she was in and the direction you wished to takemostly the direction。 If towards the grass…paddock or the dam； she was off helter…skelter。 If it was n't； she'd go on strikeput her head down and chew the bit。 Then； when you'd get to work on her with a waddywhich we always didshe'd walk backwards into the house and frighten Mother； or into the waterhole and dirty the water。 Dad said it was the fault of the cove who broke her in。 Dad was a just man。 The 〃cove〃 was a union shearerdid it for four shillings and six pence。 Wanted five bob； but Dad beat him down。 Anybody else would have asked a pound。
When Nell DID make up her mind to go； it was with a rush； and； if the slip…rails were on the ground； she'd refuse to take them。 She'd stand and look out into the lane。 You'd have to get off and drag the rails aside （about twenty； counting broken ones）。 Then she'd fancy they were up； and would shake her head and mark time until you dug your heels into her； then she'd gather herself together and jump high enough for a showover nothing！
Dave was to ride Nell to town one Christmas to see the sports。 He had n't seen any sports before； and went to bed excited and rose in the middle of the night to start。 He dressed in the dark； and we heard him going out； because he fell over Sandy and Kate。 They had come on a visit； and were sleeping on the floor in the front room。 We also heard him throw the slip…rails down。
There was a heavy fog that morning。 At breakfast we talked about Dave； and Dad 〃s'posed〃 he would just about be getting in； but an hour or two after breakfast the fog cleared； and we saw Dave in the lane hammering Nell with a stick。 Nell had her rump to the fence and was trying hard to kick it down。 Dad went to him。 〃Take her gently； take her GENTLY； boy；〃 he shouted。 〃PSHAW！ take her GENTLY！〃 Dave shouted back。 〃Here〃he jumped off her and handed Dad the reins〃take her away and cut her throat。〃 Then he cried； and then he picked up a big stone and rushed at Nell's head。 But Dad interfered。
But the day Dad mounted Nell to bring a doctor to Anderson！ She started away smartlythe wrong road。 Dad jerked her mouth and pulled her round roughly。 He was in a hurryNell was n't。 She stood and shook her head and switched her tail。 Dad rattled a waddy on her and jammed his heels hard against her ribs。 She dropped her head and cow…kicked。 Then he coaxed her。 〃Come on； old girl；〃 he said； 〃come on；〃and patted her on the neck。 She liked being patted。 That exasperated Dad。 He hit her on the head with his fist。 Joe ran out with a long stick。 He poked her in the flank。 Nell kicked the stick out of his hands and bolted towards the dam。 Dad pulled and swore as she bore him along。 And when he did haul her in； he was two hundred yards further from the doctor。 Dad turned her round and once more used the waddy。 Nell was obdurate； Dad exhausted。 Joe joined them； out of breath。 He poked Nell with the stick again。 She 〃kicked up。〃 Dad lost his balance。 Joe laughed。 Dad said； 〃St…o…op！〃 Joe was energetic。 So was Nell。 She kicked up againstrongand Dad fell off。
〃Wot； could'n' y' s…s…s…stick to 'er； Dad？〃 Joe asked。
〃STICK BE DAMNEDrunCATCH her！DN y'！〃
Joe obeyed。
Dad made another start； and this time Nell went willingly。 Dad was leading her！
Those two old horses are dead now。 They died in the summer when there was lots of grass and waterjust when Dad had broken them into harnessjust when he was getting a good team together to draw logs for the new railway line！
CHAPTER XX。
The Cow We Bought。
When Dad received two hundred pounds for the wheat he saw nothing but success and happiness ahead。 His faith in the farm and farming swelled。 Dad was not a pessimistwhen he had two hundred pounds。
〃Say what they like；〃 he held forth to Anderson and two other men across the rails one evening〃talk how they will about it； there's money to be made at farming。 Let a man WORK and use his HEAD and know what to sow and when to sow it； and he MUST do well。〃 （Anderson stroked his beard in grave silence； HE had had no wheat）。 〃Why； once a farmer gets on at all he's the most independent man in the whole country。〃
〃Yes！ Once he DOES！〃 drawled one of the men；a weird； withered fellow with a scraggy beard and a reflective turn of mind。
〃Jusso；〃 Dad went on； 〃but he must use his HEAD； it's all in th' head。〃 （He tapped his own skull with his finger）。 〃Where would I be now if I had n't used me head this last season？〃
He paused for an answer。 None came。
〃I say；〃 he continued； 〃it's a mistake to think nothing's to be made at farming； and any man〃 （〃Come to supper； DAD！〃't was Sal's voice） 〃ought t' get on where there's land like this。〃
〃LAND！〃 said the same man〃where IS it？〃
〃Where IS it？〃 Dad warmed up〃where IS N'T it？ Is n't this land？〃 （Looking all round。） 〃Is n't the whole country land from one end to the other？ And is there another country like it anywhere？〃
〃There is n't！〃 said the man。
〃Is there any other country in th' WORLD〃 （Dad lifted his voice） 〃where a man； if he likes； can live〃 （〃Dad； tea！〃） 〃without a shilling in his pocket and without doing a tap of work from one year's end to the other？〃
Anderson did n't quite understand； and the weird man asked Dad if he meant 〃in gaol。〃
〃I mean；〃 Dad said； 〃that no man should starve in this country when there's kangaroos and bears and〃（Joe came and stood beside Dad and asked him if he was DEAF）〃and goannas and snakes in thousands。 Look here！〃 （still to the weird man）； 〃you say that farming〃（Mother； bare…headed； came out and stood beside Joe； and asked Anderson if Mrs。 Anderson had got a nurse yet； and Anderson smiled and said he believed another son had just arrived； but he had n't seen it）〃that farming don't pay〃（Sal came along and stood near Mother and asked Anderson who the baby was like）〃don't pay in this country？〃
The man nodded。
〃It will pay any man who〃
Interruption。
Anderson's big dog had wandered to the house； and came back with nearly all that was for supper in his mouth。
Sal squealed。
〃DROP ITDROP IT； Bob！〃 Anderson shouted； giving chase。 Bob dropped it on the road。
〃DAMN IT！〃 said Dad； glaring at Mother； 〃wot d' y' ALL want out 'ere？。。。Y…YOU brute！〃 （to the dog； calmly licking its lips）。
Then Anderson and the two men went away。
But when we had paid sixty pounds to the storekeeper and thirty pounds in interest； and paid for the seed and the reaping and threshing of the wheat； and bought three plough…horses； and a hack for Dave； and a corn…sheller； and a tank； and clothes for us all； and put rations in the house； and lent Anderson five pounds； and improved Shingle Hut； and so on； very little of the two hundred pounds was left。
Mother spoke of getting a cow。 The children； she said； could n't live without milk and when Dad heard from Johnson and Dwyer that Eastbrook dairy cattle were to be sold at auction； he said he would go down and buy one。
Very early。 The stars had scarcely left the sky。 There was a lot of groping and stumbling about the room。 Dad and Dave had risen and were preparing to go to the sale。
I don't remember if the sky was golden or gorgeous at all； or if the mountain was clothed in mist； or if any fragrance came from the wattle…trees when they were leaving； but Johnson； without hat or boots； was picking splinters off the slabs of his hut to start his fire with； and a mile further on Smith's dog was barking furiously。 He was a famous barker。 Smith trained him to it to keep the wallabies off。 Smith used to chain him to a tree in the paddock and hang a piece of meat to the branches； and leave him there all night。
Dad and Dave rode steadily along and arrived at Eastbrook before mid…day。 The old station was on its last legs。 〃The flags were flying half…mast high。〃 A crowd of people were there。 Cart…horses with harness on； and a lot of tired…looking saddle…hacks； covered with dry sweat； were fastened to cart…wheels； and to every available post and place。 Heaps of old iron； broken…down drays and buggies and wheel…barrows； pumps and pieces of machinery； which Dad reckoned were worth a lot of money； were scattered about。 Dad yearned to gather them all up and cart them home。 Rows of unshaven men were seated high on the rails of the yards。 The yards were filled with cattlecows； heifers； bulls； and calves； all separatebellowing； and； in a friendly way； raking skins and hair off each other with their horns。
The station…manager； with