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in the cultivation； he planted his left foot heavily upon a Bathurst…burr that had been cut and left lying。 It clung to him。 He hopped along on one leg； trying to kick it off； still it clung to him。 He fell down。 The horses and the tree got mixed up； and everything was confusion。
Dave abused Joe remorselessly。 〃Go on！〃 he howled； waving in the air a fistful of grass and weeds which he had pulled from the nose of the plough； 〃clear out of this altogether！you're only a damn nuisance。〃
Joe's eyes rested on the fistful of grass。 They lit up suddenly。
〃L…l…look out； Dave；〃 he stuttered； 〃y'…y' got a s…s…snake。〃
Dave dropped the grass promptly。 A deaf…adder crawled out of it。 Joe killed it。 Dave looked closely at his hand； which was all scratches and scars。 He looked at it again； then he sat on the beam of the plough； pale and miserable…looking。
〃D…d…did it bite y'； Dave？〃 No answer。
Joe saw a chance to distinguish himself； and took it。 He ran home； glad to be the bearer of the news； and told Mother that 〃Dave's got bit by a addera sudden…death adderright on top o' the finger。〃
How Mother screamed！ 〃My God！ whatever shall we do？ Run quick；〃 she said； 〃and bring Mr。 Maloney。 Dear！ oh dear！ oh dear！〃
Joe had not calculated on this injunction。 He dropped his head and said sullenly： 〃Wot； walk all the way over there？〃
Before he could say another word a tin…dish left a dinge on the back of his skull that will accompany him to his grave if he lives to be a thousand。
〃You wretch； you！ Why don't you run when I tell you？〃
Joe sprang in the air like a shot wallaby。
〃I'll not go AT ALL nowy' see！〃 he answered； starting to cry。 Then Sal put on her hat and ran for Maloney。
Meanwhile Dave took the horses out； walked inside； and threw himself on the sofa without uttering a word。 He felt ill。
Mother was in a paroxysm of fright。 She threw her arms about frantically and cried for someone to come。 At last she sat down and tried to think what she could do。 She thought of the very thing； and ran for the carving…knife； which she handed to Dave with shut eyes。 He motioned her with a disdainful movement of the elbow to take it away。
Would Maloney never come！ He was coming； hat in hand； and running for dear life across the potato…paddock。 Behind him was his man。 Behind his manSal； out of breath。 Behind her； Mrs。 Maloney and the children。
〃Phwat's the thrubble？〃 cried Maloney。 〃Bit be a difadher？ O； be the tares of war！〃 Then he asked Dave numerous questions as to how it happened； which Joe answered with promptitude and pride。 Dave simply shrugged his shoulders and turned his face to the wall。 Nothing was to be got out of him。
Maloney held a short consultation with himself。 Then〃Hould up yer hand！〃 he said； bending over Dave with a knife。 Dave thrust out his arm violently； knocked the instrument to the other side of the room； and kicked wickedly。
〃The pison's wurrkin'；〃 whispered Maloney quite loud。
〃Oh； my gracious！〃 groaned Mother。
〃The poor crathur；〃 said Mrs。 Maloney。
There was a pause。
〃Phwhat finger's bit？〃 asked Maloney。 Joe thought it was the littlest one of the lot。
He approached the sofa again； knife in hand。
〃Show me yer finger；〃 he said to Dave。
For the first time Dave spoke。 He said：
〃Damn y'what the devil do y' want？ Clear out and lea' me 'lone。〃
Maloney hesitated。 There was a long silence。 Dave commenced breathing heavily。
〃It's maikin' 'm slape；〃 whispered Maloney； glancing over his shoulder at the women。
〃Don't let him！ Don't let him！〃 Mother wailed。
〃Salvation to 's all！〃 muttered Mrs。 Maloney； piously crossing herself。
Maloney put away the knife and beckoned to his man； who was looking on from the door。 They both took a firm hold of Dave and stood him upon his feet。 He looked hard and contemptuously at Maloney for some seconds。 Then with gravity and deliberation Dave said： 〃Now wot 'n th' devil are y' up t'？ Are y' mad？〃
〃Walk 'm along； Jaimeswalk 'malong；〃 was all Maloney had to say。 And out into the yard they marched him。 How Dave did struggle to get away！swearing and cursing Maloney for a cranky Irishman till he foamed at the mouth； all of which the other put down to snake…poison。 Round and round the yard and up and down it they trotted him till long after dark； until there was n't a struggle left in him。
They placed him on the sofa again； Maloney keeping him awake with a strap。 How Dave ground his teeth and kicked and swore whenever he felt that strap！ And they sat and watched him。
It was late in the night when Dad came from town。 He staggered in with the neck of a bottle showing out of his pocket。 In his hand was a piece of paper wrapped round the end of some yards of sausage。 The dog outside carried the other end。
〃An' 'e ishn't dead？〃 Dad said； after hearing what had befallen Dave。 〃Don' b'leevsh idwuzhn't bit。 Die 'fore shun'own ifsh desh ad'er bish 'm。〃
〃Bit！〃 Dave said bitterly； turning round to the surprise of everyone。 〃I never said I was BIT。 No one said I wasonly those snivelling idiots and that pumpkin…headed Irish pig there。〃
Maloney lowered his jaw and opened his eyes。
〃Zhackly。 Did'n' I （HIC） shayzo； 'Loney？ Did'n' I； eh； ol' wom'n！〃 Dad mumbled； and dropped his chin on his chest。
Maloney began to take another view of the matter。 He put a leading question to Joe。
〃He MUSTER been bit；〃 Joe answered； 〃'cuz he had the d…death adder in his hand。〃
More silence。
〃Mush die 'fore shun'own；〃 Dad murmured。
Maloney was thinking hard。 At last he spoke。 〃Bridgy！〃 he cried； 〃where's th' childer？〃 Mrs。 Maloney gathered them up。
Just then Dad seemed to be dreaming。 He swayed about。 His head hung lower； and he muttered； 〃Shen'l'm'n； yoush disharged wish shanksh y'cun'ry。〃
The Maloneys left。
Dave is still alive and well； and silent as ever； and if any one question is more intolerable and irritating to him than another； it is to be asked if he remembers the time he was bitten by deaf…adder。
Chapter X。
Dad And The Donovans。
A sweltering summer's afternoon。 A heat that curled and withered the very weeds。 The corn…blades drooping； sulking still。 Mother and Sal ironing； mopping their faces with a towel and telling each other how hot it was。 The dog stretched across the doorway。 A child's bonnet on the floorthe child out in the sun。 Two horsemen approaching the slip…rails。
Dad had gone down the gully to Farmer； who had been sick for four days。 The ploughing was at a standstill in consequence； for we had only two draught…horses。 Dad erected a shelter over him； made of boughs； to keep the sun off。 Two or three times a day he cut greenstuff for himwhich the cows ate。 He humped water to him which he sullenly refused to drink； and did all in his power to persuade Farmer to get up and go on with the ploughing。 I don't know if Dad knew anything of mesmerism； but he used to stand for long intervals dumbly staring the old horse full in the eyes till in a commanding voice he would bid him； 〃Get up！〃 But Farmer lacked the patriotism of the back…block poets。 He was obdurate； and not once did he 〃awake；〃 not to mention 〃arise〃。
This afternoon； as Dad approached his dumb patient； he suddenly put down the bucket of water which he was carrying and ran； shouting angrily。 A flock of crows flew away from Farmer and 〃cawed〃 from a tree close by。 Dad was excited； and when he saw that one of the animal's eyes was gone and a stream of blood trickled over its nose he sat down and hid his face in his big rough hands。
〃CAW； CAW！〃 came from the tree。
Dad rose and looked up。
〃 CURSE you！〃 he hissed〃you black wretches of hell！〃
〃CAW； CAW； CAW〃
He ran towards the tree as though he would hurl it to the ground； and away flew the crows。
Joe arrived。
〃W…w…wuz they at him； Dad？〃
Dad turned on him； trembling with rage。
〃Oh； YOU son of the Devil！〃 he commenced。 〃YOU worthless pup； you！ Look there！ Do you see that？〃 （He pointed to the horse。） 〃Did n't I tell you to mind him？ Did n'〃
〃Yes；〃 snivelled Joe； 〃but Anderson's dog had a k…k…k…angaroo bailed up。〃
〃DAMN you； be off out of this！〃 And Dad aimed a block of wood at Joe which struck him on the back as he made away。 But nothing short of two broken legs would stop Joe； who the next instant had dashed among the corn like an emu into a scrub。
Dad returned to the house； foaming and vowing to take the gun and shoot Joe down like a wallaby。 But when he saw two horses hanging up he hesitated and would have gone away again had Mother not called out that he was wanted。 He went in reluctantly。
Red Donovan and his son； Mick； were there。 Donovan was the publican； butcher； and horse…dealer at the Overhaul。 He was reputed to be well…in； though some said that if everybody had their own he would n't be worth much。 He was a glib…tongued Irishman who knew everythingor fondly imagined he didfrom the law to horse…surgery。 There was money to be made out of selections； he reckoned； if selectors only knew how to make itthe majority； he proclaimed； did n't know enough to get under a tree when it rained。 As a dealer； he was a hard nut； never giving more than a 〃tenner〃 for a twenty