Part 9 (1/2)

It is always so. These wondrous waterways have little part in that mystical holding power of the Never-Never. They are only pleasant places to ride through and leave behind; for their purring slumberous beauty is vaguely suggestive of the beauty of a sleeping tiger: a sleeping tiger with deadly fangs and talons hidden under a wonder of soft allurement; and when exiles in the towns sit and dream their dreams are all of stretches of scorched gra.s.s and quivering sun-flecked shade.

In the honest sunlight Dan's spirits rose, and as I investigated various byways he asked ”where the sense came in tying-up a dog that was doing no harm running loose.” ”It weren't as though she'd taken to chivying cattle,” he added, as, a mob of inquisitive steers trotting after us, I hurried Roper in among the riders; and then he wondered ”how she'll shape at her first muster.”

The rest of the morning he filled in with tales of cattle-musters tales of stampedes and of cattle rus.h.i.+ng over camps and ”mincing chaps into saw-dust” until I was secretly pleased that the coming muster was for horses.

But Jack's reprieve was to last a little longer. When all was ready for the muster, word came in that outside blacks were in all along the river, and the Maluka deciding that the risks were too great for the missus in long-gra.s.s country, the plans were altered, and I was left at the homestead in the Dandy's care.

”It's a ill wind that blows n.o.body any good,” the Maluka said, drawing attention to Jack's sudden interest in the proceedings.

Apart from sterling worth of character, the Dandy was all contrast to the Quiet Stockman: quick, alert, and sociable, and br.i.m.m.i.n.g over with quiet tact and thoughtfulness, and the Maluka knew I was in good hands. But the Dandy had his work to attend to; and after watching till the bush had swallowed up the last of the pack-team, I went to the wood-heap for company and consolation. Had the Darwin ladies seen me then, they would have been justified in saying, ”I told you so.”

There was plenty of company at the wood-heap, but the consolation was doubtful in character. Goggle-Eye and three other old black fellows were gossiping there, and after a peculiar grin of welcome, they expressed great fear lest the homestead should be attacked by ”outside” blacks during the Maluka's absence. ”Might it,” they said, and offered to sleep in the garden near me, as no doubt ”missus would be frightened fellow” to sleep alone.

”Me big mob frightened fellow longa wild black fellow,” Goggle-Eye said, rather overdoing the part; and the other old rascals giggled nervously, and said ”My word!” But sly, watchful glances made me sure they were only probing to find if fear had kept the missus at the homestead. Of course, if it had, a little harmless bullying for tobacco could be safely indulged in when the Dandy was busy at the yards.

Fortunately, Dan's system of education provided for all emergencies; and remembering his counsel to ”die rather than own to a black fellow that you were frightened of anything,” I refused their offer of protection, and declared so emphatically that there was nothing in heaven or earth that I was afraid to tackle single-handed, that I almost believed it myself.

There was no doubt they believed it, for they murmured in admiration ”My word! Missus big mob cheeky fellow all right.” But in their admiration they forgot that they were supposed to be quaking with fear themselves, and took no precautions against the pretended attack. ”Putting themselves away properly,” the Dandy said when I told him about it.

”It was a try-on all right,” he added. ”Evidence was against you, but they struck an unexpected snag. You'll have to keep it up, though”; and deciding ”there was nothing in the yarn,” the Dandy slept in the Quarters, and I in the House, leaving the doors and windows open as usual.

When this was reported at dawn by Billy Muck, who had taken no part in the intimidation scheme, a wholesome awe crept into the old men's admiration; for a black fellow is fairly logical in these matters.

To him, the man who crouches behind barred doors is a coward, and may be attacked without much risk, while he who relies only on his own strength appears as a Goliath defying the armies of a nation, and is best left alone, lest he develop into a Samson annihilating Philistines.

Fortunately for my reputation, only the Dandy knew that we considered open doors easier to get out of than closed ones, and that my revolver was to be fired to call him from the Quarters if anything alarming occurred.

”You'll have to live up to your reputation now,” the Dandy said, and, brave in the knowledge that he was within cooee, I ordered the old men about most unmercifully, leaving little doubt in their minds that ”missus was big mob cheeky fellow.”

They were most deferential all day, and at sundown I completed my revenge by offering these rulers of a nation the insult of a woman's protection.

”If you are still afraid of the wild blacks, you may sleep near me to-night,” I said, and apologised for not having made the offer for the night before.

”You've got 'em on toast,” the Dandy chuckled as the offer was refused with a certain amount of dignity.

The lubras secretly enjoyed the discomfiture of their lords and masters, and taking me into their confidence, made it very plain that a lubra's life at times is anything but a happy one; particularly if ”me boy all day krowl (growl).” As for the lords and masters themselves, the insult rankled so that they spent the next few days telling great and valiant tales of marvellous personal daring, hoping to wipe the stain of cowardice from their characters. Fortunately for themselves, Billy Muck and Jimmy had been absent from the wood-heap, and, therefore, not having committed themselves on the subject of wild blacks, bragged excessively.

Had they been present, knowing the old fellows well, I venture to think there would have been no intimidation scheme floated.

As the Dandy put it, ”altogether the time pa.s.sed pleasantly,” and when the Maluka returned we were all on the best of terms, having reached the phase of friends.h.i.+p when pet names are permissible. The missus had become ”Gadgerrie” to the old men and certain privileged lubras. What it means I do not know, excepting that it seemed to imply fellows.h.i.+p. Perhaps it meant ”old pal” or ”mate,” or, judging from the tone of voice that accompanied it, ”old girl,” but more probably, like ”Maluka,”

untranslatable. The Maluka was always ”Maluka” to the old men, and to some of us who imitated them.

Dan came in the day after the Maluka, and, hearing of our ”affairs,” took all the credit of it to himself.

”Just shows what a bit of educating'll do,” he said. ”The Dandy would have had a gay old time of it if I hadn't put you up to their capers”; and I had humbly to acknowledge the truth of all he said.

”I don't say you're not promising well,” he added, satisfied with my humility. ”If Johnny'll only stay away long enough, we'll have you educated up to doing without a house.”

Within a week it seemed as though Johnny was aiding and abetting Dan in his scheme of education; for he sent in word that his ”cross-cut saw,” or something equally important, had doubled up on him, and he was going back to Katherine to ”see about it straight off.”