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and kicked his heels in the air。
〃Let me up！…AH…H…H！let go me throat！〃 he hissed。
The dog ran over and barked at him。 He found his feet again； and； making off； ran through the wheat； glancing back over his shoulder as he tore along。 He crossed into the grass paddock； and running to a big tree dodged round and round it。 Then from tree to tree he went； and that evening at sundown； when Joe was bringing the cows home； Jack was still flying from 〃his father〃。
After supper。
〃I wonder now what the old fool saw in that snake to send him off his head like that？〃 Dad said； gazing wonderingly into the fire。 〃He sees plenty of them； goodness knows。〃
〃That was n't it。 It was n't the snake at all；〃 Mother said； 〃there was madness in the man's eyes all the while。 I saw it the moment he came to the door。〃 She appealed to Sal。
〃Nonsense！〃 said Dad； 〃NONSENSE！〃 and he tried to laugh。
〃Oh； of course it's NONSENSE；〃 Mother went on； 〃everything I say is nonsense。 It won't be nonsense when you come home some day and find us all on the floor with our throats cut。〃
〃Pshaw！〃 Dad answered； 〃what's the use of talking like that？〃 Then to Dave： 〃Go out and see if he's in the barn！〃
Dave fidgetted。 He did n't like the idea。 Joe giggled。
〃Surely you're not FRIGHTENED？〃 Dad shouted。
Dave coloured up。
〃Nodon't think so；〃 he said； and； after a pause； 〃YOU go and see。〃
It was Dad's turn to feel uneasy。 He pretended to straighten the fire； and coughed several times。 〃Perhaps it's just as well；〃 he said； 〃to let him be to…night。〃
Of course； Dad was n't afraid； he SAID he was n't； but he drove the pegs in the doors and windows before going to bed that night。
Next morning； Dad said to Dave and Joe； 〃Come 'long； and we'll see where he's got to。〃
In a gully at the back of the grass…paddock they found him。 He was ploughingsitting astride the highest limb of a fallen tree； and； in a hoarse voice and strange； calling out〃Gee； Captain！come here； Tidy！WA…AY！〃
〃Blowed if I know；〃 Dad muttered； coming to a standstill。 〃Wonder if he is clean mad？〃
Dave was speechless； and Joe began to tremble。
They listened。 And as the man's voice rang out in the quiet gully and the echoes rumbled round the ridge and the affrighted birds flew up； the place felt eerie somehow。
〃It's no use bein' afraid of him；〃 Dad went on。 〃We must go and bounce him； that's all。〃 But there was a tremor in Dad's voice which Dave did n't like。
〃See if he knows us； anyway。〃and Dad shouted； 〃HEY…Y！〃
Jack looked up and immediately scrambled from the limb。 That was enough for Dave。 He turned and made tracks。 So did Dad and Joe。 They ran。 No one could have run harder。 Terror overcame Joe。 He squealed and grabbed hold of Dad's shirt； which was ballooning in the wind。
〃Let go！〃 Dad gasped。 〃DAMN Y'； let me GO！ 〃trying to shake him off。 But Joe had great faith in his parent； and clung to him closely。
When they had covered a hundred yards or so； Dave glanced back； and seeing that Jack was n't pursuing them； stopped and chuckled at the others。
〃Eh？〃 Dad said； completely winded〃Eh？〃 Then to Dave； when he got some breath：
〃Well； you ARE an ass of a fellow。 （PUFF！）。 What th' DEVIL did y' RUN f'？〃
〃Wot did I run f'？ What did YOU run f'？〃
〃Bah！〃 and Dad boldly led the way back。
〃Now look here （turning fiercely upon Joe）； don't you come catching hold of me again； or if y' DO I'll knock y'r dd head off！。。。Clear home altogether； and get under the bed if y're as frightened as THAT。〃
Joe slunk behind。
But when Dad DID approach Jack； which was n't until he had talked a great deal to him across a big log； the latter did n't show any desire to take life； but allowed himself to be escorted home and locked in the barn quietly enough。
Dad kept Jack confined in the barn several days； and if anyone approached the door or the cracks he would ask：
〃Is me father there yet？〃
〃Your father's dead and buried long ago； man；〃 Dad used to tell him。
〃Yes；〃 he would say； 〃but he's alive again。 The missus keeps him in there〃indicating the house。
And sometimes when Dad was not about Joe would put his mouth to a crack and say：
〃Here's y'r FATHER； Jack！〃 Then； like a caged beast； the man would howl and tramp up and down； his eyes starting out of his head； while Joe would bolt inside and tell Mother that 〃Jack's getting out；〃； and nearly send her to her grave。
But one day Jack DID get out； and； while Mother and Sal were ironing came to the door with the axe on his shoulder。
They dropped the irons and shrank into a corner and cowered piteouslytoo scared even to cry out。
He took no notice of them； but； moving stealthily on tip…toes； approached the bedroom door and peeped in。 He paused just a moment to grip the axe with both hands。 Then with a howl and a bound he entered the room and shattered the looking…glass into fragments。
He bent down and looked closely at the pieces。
〃He's dead now；〃 he said calmly； and walked out。 Then he went to work at the post…holes again； just as though nothing had happened。
Fifteen years have passed since then； and the man is still at Shingle Hut。 He was the best horse Dad ever had。 He slaved from daylight till dark； keeps no Sunday； knows no companion； lives chiefly on meat and machine oil； domiciles in the barn； and has never asked for a rise in his wages。 His name we never knew。 We call him 〃Jack。〃 The neighbours called him 〃CRANKY Jack。〃
Chapter VIII。
A Kangaroo…Hunt from Shingle Hut。
We always looked forward to Sunday。 It was our day of sport。 Once； I remember； we thought it would never come。 We longed restlessly for it； and the more we longed the more it seemed to linger。
A meeting of selectors had been held； war declared against the marsupial； and a hunt on a grand scale arranged for this particular Sabbath。 Of course those in the neighbourhood hunted the kangaroo every Sunday； but 〃on their own；〃 and always on foot； which had its fatigues。 This was to be a raid EN MASSE and on horseback。 The whole country…side was to assemble at Shingle Hut and proceed thence。 It assembled； and what a collection！ Such a crowd！ such gear！ such a tame lot of horses！ and such a motley swarm of lean； lank； lame kangaroo…dogs！
We were not ready。 The crowd sat on their horses and waited at the slip…rails。 Dogs trooped into the yard by the dozen。 One pounced on a fowl； another lamed the pig； a trio put the cat up a peach…tree； one with a thirst mounted the water…cask and looked down it； while the bulk of the brutes trotted inside and disputed with Mother who should open the safe。
Dad loosed our three； and pleased they were to feel themselves free。 They had been chained up all the week； with scarcely anything to eat。 Dad did n't believe in too much feeding。 He had had wide experience in dogs and coursing 〃at home〃 on his grandfather's large estates； and always found them fleetest when empty。 OURS ought to have been fleet as locomotives。
Dave； showing a neat seat； rode out of the yard on Bess； fresh and fat and fit to run for a kingdom。 They awaited Dad。 He was standing beside HIS mountFarmer； the plough…horse； who was arrayed in winkers with green…hide reins； and an old saddle with only one flap。 He was holding an earnest argument with Joe。。。Still the crowd waited。 Still Dad and Joe argued the point。。。There was a murmur and a movement and much merriment。 Dad was coming； so was Joeperched behind him； 〃double bank；〃 rapidly wiping the tears from his eyes with his knuckles。
Hooray！ They were off。 Paddy Maloney and Dave took the lead； heading for kangaroo country along the foot of Dead Man's Mountain and through Smith's paddock； where there was a low wire fence to negotiate。 Paddy spread his coat over it and jumped his mare across。 He was a horseman； was Pat。 The others twisted a stick in the wires； and proceeded carefully to lead their horses over。 When it came to Farmer's turn he hesitated。 Dad coaxed him。 Slowly he put one leg across； as if feeling his way； and paused again。 Joe was on his back behind the saddle。 Dad tugged hard at the winkers。 Farmer was inclined to withdraw his leg。 Dad was determined not to let him。 Farmer's heel got caught against the wire； and he began to pull back and gruntso did Dad。 Both pulled hard。 Anderson and old Brown ran to Dad's assistance。 The trio planted their heels in the ground and leaned back。
Joe became afraid。 He clutched at the saddle and cried； 〃Let me off！〃 〃Stick to him！〃 said Paddy Maloney； hopping over the fence； 〃Stick to him！〃 He kicked Farmer what he afterwards called 〃a sollicker on the tail。〃 Again he kicked him。 Still Farmer strained and hung back。 Once more he let him have it。 Thenoff flew the winkers； and over went Dad and Anderson and old Brown； and down rolled Joe and Farmer on the other side of the fence。 The others leant against their horses and laughed the laugh of their lives。 〃Worse 'n a lot of dd jackasses；〃 Dad was heard to say。 They caught Farmer and led him to the fence again。 He jumped it； and rose feet higher than he had any need to； and had not old Brown dodged him just when he did he would be a dead man now。
A little further on the huntsmen sigh