Part 46 (2/2)
”In respect of irant you,” I replied
”But in respect of deliberate deceit, most men are to be trusted By-the-way, there's four of your frames left--out near those coolibahs”
”Stake the question on Bob,” he suggested ”May as well catch them, and ride”
”So be it--to both proposals”
The sun was now above the indefinable horizon, looh the smoky haze All objects, even in thewhich way thea slight detour to secure the four horses
But ere just in ti the sa in the direction taken by the earlier draft We followed; and, for my own part, even if I had not been personally interested, I should have judged it orth going asituation which supplied a sequel to our homely little dra with nificent hauls of assorted trespassers that I have been privileged to survey I jotted down a memo of the numbers
There were 254 head of overworked and underfed beasts--173 bullocks and 81 horses These were in the custody of nine Mongolians, two Young-Australians, and two gentle Mr Smythe and Bert
Also, 7 bullocks and 3 horses left their bones in the paddock, as evidence of the bitter necessity which had proal invasion of pastoral leasehold There were (includingby twos or threes A few of these were ludicrously abashed; others were insolent; but the largedown to apathy And Mr Smythe, true to his order of eous contumely, the second with silent conteue disquietude and anxiety for the enerous or avaricious, hearty or exclusive, debonair or harsh--should be a strong enuine co-out and settling-up, furnished, perhaps, as varied and interesting experiences to me as to anyone else in the cast: first, a thrill of disether apart fronisance of a bit of by-play in thethe captives; each of the Early in the reception, whilst treating for the Mr Smythe with my affability, when that sudden consternation came over me Where was Pup?
I put the two pairs of hobbles round Bunyip's neck, and saddled Cleopatra without delay The gallant beast, as if he knew the need for despatch, bucked straight ahead till he ht me to the ca their tucker-bags on sos, but at a height accessible to Pup The absence of the owners, though desirable, would not have been absolutely necessary to the perfor can abstract food with a nomon's shadow on a sun-dial
So I returned to the scene of interest, accompanied by Bunyip and Pup
Twelve or fifteen of the outlaws, having secured their saddle-horses, were sternly ordering the Chinarass in this corner of the paddock was especially good; and these unshah theto identify and count his ohile now and then one would pass out to overbear so a bay mare with a switch tail, or a strawberry bullock ide horns--such ostentatious inquiry being acco of evidence's horse, or evidence himself, with some suitable instrument
Yet batch after batch ithdrawn and paid for; while the red sun rose higher, and Mr Smythe beca
Helsht out nineteen of his horses, and paid for twenty, besides his hack He said he would have to borrohip from someone, to ”dost der yacket” of the impracticable animal that remained in the mob Relevantly, one of the Chows had a stockwhip, the handle of which represented about sixwork on a well-selected piece of ruity of such a geed his trespass-liability, the iron-wristed Hollander politely borrowed this jewel fro owner, and so recovered his horse without difficulty Then, when the bereaved boundarypsal a playful clip at a locust, aardly allowed the lash to curl once-and-a-half round the body of John's horse; close in front of the hind-legs The cheap and reliable rider saved hio at that
S and delicate, in spite of his stockkeeper's rig-out-- was taking little interest in anything except the shi+llings he collected
At last, with a heart-drawn sigh, he beckoned to his brother
”You y, Bert, when this is over I have a splitting headache We can do without you now” Alas! what doth a stationheadaches? Answer, ye pastoralists!
Stevenson had just drafted and paid for his batch, when Barefooted Bob stalked up, bearing an unmistakable scowl on his frank face, and a saddle on his shoulder
”Did you receive ht, Bob?” demanded Smythe
”Well,” drawled Bob, ”I couldn't say whether it was las' night or this h”
”And why didn't you turn-up?”
”Why did n't I turn-up,” repeated Bob thoughtfully ”P'r'aps you'll be so good as to inform me if my work's cleanin' out reservoys or mindin' paddicks?”
”But you should be loyal to your employ,” replied S?” conjectured Bob ”Noon anybody when I stick to oin' partners with opiu on the station if I took advantage o' your o round warnin'
the chaps that orkin' on the paddick Way I was situated, the clean thing was to stand out An' that's what I done”