on our selection-第11部分

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othing　comes　of　it　why　then　we　MUST　give　it　up。〃　Then　he　took　the　spade　and　raked　the　fire　together　and　covered　it　with　asheswe　always　covered　the　fire　over　before　going　to　bed　so　as　to　keep　it　alight。　　Some　mornings；　though；　it　would　be　out；　when　one　of　us　would　have　to　go　across　to　Anderson's　and　borrow　a　fire…stick。　　Any　of　us　but　Joehe　was　sent　only　once；　and　on　that　occasion　he　stayed　at　Anderson's　to　breakfast；　and　on　his　way　back　successfully　burnt　out　two　grass　paddocks　belonging　to　a　J。P。

So　we　began　to　prepare　the　soil　for　another　crop　of　corn；　and　Dad　started　over　the　same　old　ground　with　the　same　old　plough。　　How　I　remember　that　old；　screwed　and　twisted　plough！　　The　land　was　very　hard；　and　the　horses　out　of　condition。　　We　wanted　a　furrow…horse。　　Smith　had　onea　good　one。　〃Put　him　in　the　furrow；〃　he　said　to　Dad；　〃and　you　can't　PULL　him　out　of　it。〃　　Dad　wished　to　have　such　a　horse。　　Smith　offered　to　exchange　for　our　roan　saddle　mareone　we　found　running　in　the　lane；　and　advertised　as　being　in　our　paddock；　and　no　one　claimed　it。　　Dad　exchanged。

He　yoked　the　new　horse　to　the　plough；　and　it　took　to　the　furrow　splendidlybut　that　was　all；　it　did　n't　take　to　anything　else。　　Dad　gripped　the　handles〃Git　up！〃　he　said；　and　tapped　Smith's　horse　with　the　rein。　　Smith's　horse　pranced　and　marked　time　well；　but　did　n't　tighten　the　chains。　　Dad　touched　him　again。　　Then　he　stood　on　his　fore…legs　and　threw　about　a　hundredweight　of　mud　that　clung　to　his　heels　at　Dad's　head。　　That　aggravated　Dad；　and　he　seized　the　plough…scraper；　and；　using　both　hands；　calmly　belted　Smith's　horse　over　the　ribs　for　two　minutes；　by　the　sun。　He　tried　him　again。　　The　horse　threw　himself　down　in　the　furrow。　　Dad　took　the　scraper　again；　welted　him　on　the　rump；　dug　it　into　his　back…bone；　prodded　him　in　the　side；　then　threw　it　at　him　disgustedly。　　Then　Dad　sat　down　awhile　and　breathed　heavily。　　He　rose　again　and　pulled　Smith's　horse　by　the　head。　　He　was　pulling　hard　when　Dave　and　Joe　came　up。　　Joe　had　a　bow…and…arrow　in　his　hand；　and　said！；　〃He's　a　good　furrer　'orse；　eh；　Dad？　Smith　SAID　you　could　n't　pull　him　out　of　it。〃

Shall　I　ever　forget　the　look　on　Dad's　face！　　He　brandished　the　scraper　and　sprang　wildly　at　Joe　and　yelled；　〃Damn　y'；　you　WHELP！　　what　do　you　want　here？〃

Joe　left。　　The　horse　lay　in　the　furrow。　　Blood　was　dropping　from　its　mouth。　　Dave　pointed　it　out；　and　Dad　opened　the　brute's　jaws　and　examined　them。　　No　teeth　were　there。　　He　looked　on　the　ground　round　aboutnone　there　either。　　He　looked　at　the　horse's　mouth　again；　then　hit　him　viciously　with　his　clenched　fist　and　said；　〃The　old　；　he　never　DID　have　any！〃　　At　length　he　unharnessed　the　brute　as　it　laypulled　the　winkers　off；　hurled　them　at　its　head；　kicked　it　oncetwicethree　timesand　the　furrow…horse　jumped　up；　trotted　away　triumphantly；　and　joyously　rolled　in　the　dam　where　all　our　water　came　from；　drinking…water　included。

Dad　went　straightaway　to　Smith's　place；　and　told　Smith　he　was　a　dirty；　mean；　despicable　swindleror　something　like　that。　　Smith　smiled。　　Dad　put　one　leg　through　the　slip…rails　and　promised　Smith；　if　he'd　only　come　along；　to　split　palings　out　of　him。　　But　Smith　did　n't。　　The　instinct　of　self…preservation　must　have　been　deep　in　that　man　Smith。　　Then　Dad　went　home　and　said　he　would　shoot　the　　horse　there　and　then；　and　went　looking　for　the　gun。　　The　horse　died　in　the　paddock　of　old　age；　but　Dad　never　ploughed　with　him　again。

Dad　followed　the　plough　early　and　late。　　One　day　he　was　giving　the　horses　a　spell　after　some　hours'　work；　when　Joe　came　to　say　that　a　policeman　was　at　the　house　wanting　to　see　him。　　Dad　thought　of　the　roan　mare；　and　Smith；　and　turned　very　pale。　　Joe　said：　　〃There's　〃Q。P。〃　on　his　saddle…cloth；　what's　that　for；　Dad？〃　　But　he　did　n't　answerhe　was　thinking　hard。　〃And；〃　Joe　went　on；　〃there's　somethin'　sticking　out　of　his　pocketDave　thinks　it'll　be　'ancuffs。〃　Dad　shuddered。　　On　the　way　to　the　house　Joe　wished　to　speak　about　the　policeman；　but　Dad　seemed　to　have　lock…jaw。　When　he　found　the　officer　of　the　law　only　wanted　to　know　the　number　of　stock　he　owned；　he　talked　freelyhe　was　delighted。　　He　said；　〃Yes；　sir；〃　and　〃No；　sir；〃　and　〃Jusso；　sir；〃　to　everything　the　policeman　said。

Dad　wished　to　learn　some　law。　　He　said：　　〃Now；　tell　me　this：　　supposing　a　horse　gets　into　my　paddockor　into　your　paddockand　I　advertise　that　horse　and　nobody　claims　him；　can't　I　put　my　brand　on　him？〃　The　policeman　jerked　back　his　head　and　stared　at　the　shingles　long　enough　to　recall　all　the　robberies　he　had　committed；　and　said：　　〃Ye　canthat's　soye　can。〃

〃I　knew　it；〃　answered　Dad；　〃but　a　lawyer　in　town　told　Maloney；　over　there；　y'　could　n't。〃

〃COULD　N'T？〃　　And　the　policeman　laughed　till　he　nearly　had　the　house　down；　only　stopping　to　ask；　while　the　tears　ran　over　his　well…fed　cheeks；　〃Did　he　charge　him　forrit？〃　and　laughed　again。　　He　went　away　laughing；　and　for　all　I　know　the　wooden…head　may　be　laughing　yet。

Everything　was　favourable　to　a　good　harvest。　　The　rain　fell　just　when　it　was　wanted；　and　one　could　almost　see　the　corn　growing。　　How　it　encouraged　Dad；　and　what　new　life　it　seemed　to　give　him！　　In　the　cool　of　the　evenings　he　would　walk　along　the　headlands　and　admire　the　forming　cobs；　and　listen　to　the　rustling　of　the　rows　of　drooping　blades　as　they　swayed　and　beat　against　each　other　in　the　breeze。　　Then　he　would　go　home　filled　with　fresh　hopes　and　talk　of　nothing　but　the　good　prospect　of　that　crop。

And　how　we　worked！　　Joe　was　the　only　one　who　played。　　I　remember　him　finding　something　on　a　chain　one　day。　　He　had　never　seen　anything　like　it　before。　　Dad　told　him　it　was　a　steel…trap　and　explained　the　working　of　it。　Joe　was　entrancedan　invaluable　possession！　　A　treasure；　he　felt；　that　the　Lord　must　specially　have　sent　him　to　catch　things　with。　　He　caught　many　things　with　itwillie…wagtails；　laughing…jackasses；　fowls；　and　mostly　the　dog。　　Joe　was　a　born　naturalista　perfect　McCooey　in　his　way；　and　a　close　observer　of　the　habits　and　customs　of　animals　and　living　things。　　He　observed　that　whenever　Jacob　Lipp　came　to　our　place　he　always；　when　going　home；　ran　along　the　fence　and　touched　the　top　of　　every　post　with　his　hand。　　The　Lipps　had　newly　arrived　from　Germany；　and　their　selection　adjoined　ours。　　Jacob　was　their　〃eldest〃；　about　fourteen；　and　a　fat；　jabbering；　jolly…faced　youth　he　was。　　He　often　came　to　our　place　and　followed　Joe　about。　　Joe　never　cared　much　for　the　company　of　anyone　younger　than　himself；　and　therefore　fiercely　resented　the　indignity。　Jacob　could　speak　only　GermanJoe　understood　only　pure　unadulterated　Australian。　　Still　Jacob　insisted　on　talking　and　telling　Joe　his　private　affairs。

This　day；　Mrs。　Lipp　accompanied　Jacob。　　She　came　to　have　a　〃yarn〃　with　Mother。　　They　did　n't　understand　each　other　either；　but　it　did　n't　matter　much　to　themit　never　does　matter　much　to　women　whether　they　understand　or　not；　anyway；　they　laughed　most　of　the　time　and　seemed　to　enjoy　themselves　greatly。　　Outside　Jacob　and　Joe　mixed　up　in　an　argument。　Jacob　shoved　his　face　close　to　Joe's　and　gesticulated　and　talked　German　at　the　rate　of　two　hundred　words　a　minute。　　Joe　thought　he　understood　him　and　said：　　〃You　want　to　fight？〃　　Jacob　seemed　to　have　a　nightmare　in　German。

〃Orright；　then；〃　Joe　said；　and　knocked　him　down。

Jacob　seemed　to　understand　Australian　better　when　he　got　up；　for　he　ran　inside；　and　Joe　put　his　ear　to　a　crack；　but　did　n't　hear　him　tell　Mother。

Joe　had　an　idea。　　He　would　set　the　steel…trap　on　a　wire…post　and　catch　Jacob。　　He　set　it。　　Jacob　started　home。　　One；　two；　three　posts　he　hit。　Then　he　hit　the　trap。　　It　grabbed　him　faithfully　by　three　fingers。

Angels　of　Love！　did　ever　a　boy　of　fourteen　yell　like　it　before！　　He　sprang　in　the　airthrew　himself　on　the　ground　like　a　roped　brumbyjumped　up　again　and　ran　all　he　knew；　frantically　wringing　the　hand　the　trap　clung　to。　　What　Jacob　reckoned　had　hold　of　him　Heaven　only　can　tell。　　His　mother　thought　he　must　have　gone　mad　and　ran　after　him。　　Our　Mother　fairly　tore　after　her。　　Dad　and　Dave　left　a　dray…load　of　corn　and　joined　in　the　hunt。　Between　them　they　got　Jacob　down　and　took　him　out　of　the　trap。　　Dad　smashed　the　infernal　machine；　and　then　went　to　look　for　Joe。　　But　Joe　was　n't　about。

The　corn　shelled　out　100　bagsthe　best　crop　we　had　ever　had；　but　when　Dad　came　to　sell　it　seemed　as　though　every　farmer　in　every　farming　district　on　earth　had　had　a　heavy　crop；　for　the　market　was　gluttedthere　was　too　much　corn　in　Egyptand　he　could　get　no　price　for　it。　　At　last　he　was　offered　Ninepence　ha'penny　per　bushel；　delivered　at　the　railway　station。　　Ninepence　ha'penny　per　bushel；　delivered　at　the　railway　station！　　Oh；　my　country！　and　fivepence　per　bushel　out　of　that　to　a　carrier　to　take　it　there！　AUSTRALIA；　MY　MOTHER！

Dad　soldbecause　he　could　n't　afford　to　await　a　better　market；　and　when　the　letter　came　containing　a　cheque　in　payment；　he　made　a　calculation；　then　looked　pitifully　at　Mother；　and　muttered〃　SEVEN　POUN'S　TEN！〃




Chapter　XII。



Kate's　Wedding。


Our　selection　was　a　great　place　for　dancing。　　We　could　all　dancefrom　Dan　downand　there　was　n't　a　figure　or　a　movement　we　did　n't　know。　　We　learned　young。　　Mother　was　a　firm　believer　in　early　tuition。　　She　used　to　say　it　was　nice　for　young　people　to　know　how　to