Part 16 (2/2)

Nothing never ht it orth while He was h to mother, so the poor soul looked quite happy for her It was little enough of that she had for her share By and by father walks outside with us, and we had a long private talk

It was a brightish kind of starlight night As alked down to the creek I thought how often Ji, and came home so tired that ere hardly able to pull our boots off Then we had nothing to think about oke in the et in the cows; and didn't we enjoy the fresh butter and the das at breakfast tiet the et in this world If they don't make misery for the's going straight, and they're doing their duty first-rate and all that, some accident happens 'em just as if they was the worst people in the world I can't make it out at all

'Well, boys,' says dad, 'you've been lucky so far; suppose you had a pretty good spree in Melbourne? You seen the game was up by the papers, didn't you? But why didn't you stay where you were?'

'Why, of course, that brought us away,' says Jiht there was more show for it in the bush here'

'But even if they'd grabbed Starlight,' says the old man, 'you'd no call to be afeard Notainst us and the rest of the lot?' I said

'There's never a warrant out agin any one but Starlight,' said the old ular, and I rode over to Bargo and saw the reward of 200 Pounds (a chap alongside of ht, supposed to have left the country; but not a word about you two and ht as well have stayed where ere, Jiroan 'Still, when you look at it, isn't it queer,' I went on, 'that they should only spot Starlight and leave us out? It looks as if they was keepin' dark for fear of frightening us out of the country, but watching all the sa his tobacco in his hands the old way, and bringing out his pipe: 'they couldn't be offof his carryin' on so Of course he drawed notice to himself all roads But the rest of us only come in with the mob, and soon as they was sold stashed the camp and cleared out different ways Theo, and nobody was to know them from any other road hands I was back with the old ht and day, turn about, and they can both travel You kept pretty quiet, as luck had it, and was off to Melbourne quick I don't really believe they dropped to any of us, bar Starlight; and if they don't nab his as never turned up in this world, and never will now' Here the old ht better of it

'Anyhoe'd made it up to come home at Christmas,' says Jim; 'but it's all one It would have saved us a deal of trouble in our minds all the same if we'd known there was no warrants out after us two I wonder if they'll nail Starlight'

'They can't be well off it,' says father 'He's gone off his head, and stopped in some swell town in New Zealand--Canterbury, I think it's called--livin' tiptop alish swells, instead of makin' off for the Islands, as he laid out to do'

'How do you know he's there?' I said

'I know, and that's enough,' snarls father 'I hear a lot in uesses on, and I know this--that he's pretty well marked down by old Stillbrook the detective as went down there a o'

'But didn't you warn him?'

'Yes, of course, as soon as I heard tell; but it's too late, I' He has the devil's luck as well as his own, but I always used to tell him it would fail him yet'

'I believe you're the s his hand on father's shoulder He could pretty nigh get round the old chap once in a way, could Jim, surly as he was 'What do you think we'd better do? What's our best dart?'

Father shook off his hand, but not roughly, and his voice wasn't so hard when he said--

'Why, stop at hoht

Don't go planting in the gully, or some one 'll think you're wanted, and let on to the police Ride about the country till I give you the office Never fear but I'll have word quick enough Go about and see the neighbours round just as usual'

Jim and I was quite stunned by this bit of news; no doubt as pretty sorry as ever we left Melbourne, but there was nothing for it now but to follow it out After all, ere at home, and it was pleasant to think ouldn't be hunted for a bit and ht ride about the old place and enjoy ourselves a bit Aileen was as happy as the day was long, and poor mother used to lay her head on Jim's neck and cry for joy to have him with her Even father used to sit in the front, under the quinces, and sht he was happy I wonder if he ever looked back to the days when he was a far? He must have been a smart, handy kind of lad, and what a different look his face ood tried up Aileen's e Storefield's, and gave him a look-up He'd been ae ca well all this time, of course,' I said 'I expect he'll turn squatter soh,' says Jian lower down than hiives coves like us a turn e're brought up before 'e known, constable, of this prisoner's anterseedents?” as I heard old Higgler say one day at Bargo'

'Why do youso solehtn't a steady worker to rise in life, and isn't it sad to see cleverer men and better workers--if they liked--kept down by their own fault?'

'Why wasn't your roan , and pretending to touch her up 'Co, and let's see if she can trot as well as she used to do?'

'Poor Lowan,' says she, patting the mare's smooth neck (she was a wonderful neat, well-bred, dark roan, with black points--one of dad's, perhaps, that he'd brought her ho Where she was bred or how, nobody ever knew); 'she was born pretty and good How little trouble her life gives her

It's a pity we can't all say as much, or have as little on our o must live as well as the collie or the sheep either One's been made just the sao turn round twice, and then pitch hirass like as if he was dead He's not a bad sort, old dingo, and has a good ti as it lasts'

'Yes, till he's trapped or shot or poisoned some day, which he always is,' said Aileen bitterly 'I wonder any man should be content with a wicked life and a shameful death' And she struck Loith a switch, and spun down the slope of the hill between the trees like a forester-doe with the hunter-hound behind her