Part 42 (1/2)
My own experience of the ment; wherefore, if John didn't exactly rise in the estis in its destestation
”Comin' doool?” asked Baxter
”Co,” replied Cartwright
”Jist loafin' loose Bullocks dead-beat Left the wagon tarpolined at the Juhteen since then, an' three more dead if they on'y know'd it Good for trade, I s'pose”
”Had any supper?” asked Thompson
”Well, no Run out o' tucker to-day, an' reckoned I'd do till I foun' tial to-morrow”
While three or four of the fellows placed their eatables before Cartwright, Thoave , it reot snapped by Barefooted Bob, on Wo-Winya, while M'Gregor owned the station For all the world such a night as this-sood as day I'd had a fearful perisher co for the Murray, bycaught, altogether, five tih feed in the Tin Hut Paddock; so I crawled along quietly, and loosed-out after dark, in that timber where the coolah the fence, and out past that bit of a swamp; and they had just settled down to feed, when I saw soot possession of some bullocks close handy here,' says he 'Do you own them?'
”'Yes,' says I; 'and, by the saht you are,' says he 'Court job, if you like Your naht'
”'Hold-on!' says I 'On second thoughts, I haven't possession
But I think I know your voice Are n't you Barefooted Bob? Where's Bat?'
”'Laying for Potter's horse-teah'
”'Coon, and have a drink of tea,' says I
”'No, no,' says he; 'none of your toe-rag business I'll just stop with these bullocks till it's light enough to count the all night, and in thewe settled-up, and he saw me out of the paddock Nicest, civilest fellow you'dof Tom's He and Bat had been four or five years away north toward the Gulf, and had just coor used to keep them up to their work Sent them away somewhere about the Diamantina, shortly after this affair; and now Bob”----
”Speak o' the divil,” growled Baxter ”You done it, you blatherin' fool!
Look behine you! Now there's a bob a-head, or a suht 'a' had more sense!”
Thompson (as you will remember) had heard of Bob's decease, but had since learned the fallacy of the report I was therefore, probably, the only person present who took for granted that M'Gregor's obnoxious familiar was so removed from further opportunity ofpeople situated as ere Hence the well-concealed disquietude of the co in comparison with my own perplexity-- which, I trust, was no less successfully disguised For it was Bob hinuround, joined our unappreciative group
After folding his inter his hands round his shi+ns, this excrescence on society remarked, in basso profundo:
”Evenin', chaps”
”Evenin',” caeneral, response Then Baxter queried indifferently:
”Same ole lay?”
”Not me,” replied the deep, low voice ”Every man to his work My work's mullockin' in a reservoy, with a new-chum weaver from Leeds for a mate, an' a scoop that's nyther make nor form, an' the ten worst bullocks ever was yoked”
”Well, Bob,” said I; ”though you gave ratulate you
I heard you were dead”