Part 42 (2/2)
”Would n't mind if I was dead, Collins”
”Where's Bat?” I asked
”Gone to a better billet”--and the leonine voice deepened to hoarseness
”Restin' in the shadder of a lonely rock, as the Bible says I buried hio Many's the tioin'
Best-hearted feller ever broke bread, Bat was; an' the prittiest rider ever I seen on a horse Yes; pore ole chap's gone You'd 'a' thought he was on'y asleep when ”----
No further as spoken for a couple ofsince you came down?”
”Five rass there, an' most o' the road down I coe o' them there; an' oin' on for three weeks, rasslin' with that reservoy, an' cursin' M'Gregor an' Smythe for bein' man-eaters, an' myself for bein'
a born fool”
”Then why don't you leave?” asked Thompson
”How can I leave without a settlin'-up?”
”An' why the (sheol) don't you git a settlin'-up?” asked Donovan
”How'or don't know me from a crow, an' says Smythe'll represent him in the meantior, or else he'd deive me the run
Nice way for a man to be fixed, after or what he is Eighteen solid years clean throay!”
”How did you fine us here, unless you was (adv) well after so with a bad naor--at least, I'll be after hiit this reservoy off o' it you to understand by-'n'-by See: Jist when Sot a slant o' fourteen bullocks, sold at a gift, for debt; an' he thought that would be the cheapest way to git the work done; for he did n't want to engage any o' your sort, knowin' you'd loaf on the grass, an' ation of no end o' trouble watchin'
the place Well, the Ho's paddick for a fortnit before I come; an' I could on'y muster ten; an' me an' this mate o' mine we made a start with that lot--not knohich was nearsiders, nor off-siders, nor leaders, nor nothing Nice contract Anyway, jist before dark this evenin', I seen two o' the missin' ones in the 'joinin' paddock, so I rooted-up one o'barkin' out this way, an' I thought I'd come across to kill tihin'
where them other blokes is camped”----
”Which other blokes?” asked Saunders
”Dan Lister an' three Vic chaps Be about half-a- with these coves for foxin' hirown kids They got twelve bullocks each
Dan tells hteen, comin' down from Mooltunya
Says one o' the chinks laid hirass Two other fellers I ers to me--they had the very sae here; an' they're workin' a point to make e, that's jist the sort o' thing would put a hu o' chinks! My word!”
”Bin many people workin' on this paddick lately?” asked Saunders innocently
”Well, besides your three horses, there's been an odd teaen for the fortnit or three weeks I been here Good ht No business o' oin' on Way o' the world, I s'pose Anyway, Sittin' a slant to coor about me; an' if it ain't satisfactory, there'll be bad feelin' between us
I want to be kep' at my own proper work, or else sacked an' squared-up with-- not shoved into a job like this thepup cheekin' me for callin' him 'Bert' 'Mr Smythe, if you please,' says he!