flew clean off the handle！ And when Sal advised him to wear his coloured shirt； same as Dad was going to do； and reminded him that Mary Anderson might n't come at all； he aimed a pillow at her and knocked Little Bill under the table； and scattered husks all over the floor。 Then he fled to the barn and refused dinner。
Mid…day； and Dad's pants not found。 We searched inside and outside and round about the pig…sty； and the hay…stack； and the cow…yard； and eyed the cows； and the pet kangaroo； and the draught…horses with suspicion； but saw nothing of the pants。 Dad was angry； but had to make the most of an old pair of Dave's through the legs of which Dad thrust himself a lot too far。 Mother and Sal said he looked well enough in them； but laughed when he went outside。
The people commenced to arrive on horseback and in drays。 The women went on to the verandah with their babies； the men hung round outside and waited。 Some sat under the peach…tree and nibbled sticks and killed green…heads； others leant against the fence； while a number gathered round the pig…sty and talked about curing bacon。
The parson came along。 All of them stared at him； watched him unsaddle his horse and hunt round for a place to fasten the beast。 They regarded the man in the long black coat with awe and wonder。
Everything was now ready； and； when Dad carried in the side…boards of the dray and placed them on boxes for seat accommodation； the clergyman awaited his congregation； which had collected at the back…door。 Anderson stepped in； the rest followed； timid…looking； and stood round the room till the clergyman motioned them to sit。 They sat and watched him closely。
〃We'll now join in singing hymn 499；〃 said the parson； commencing to sing himself。 The congregation listened attentively； but did n't join in。 The parson jerked his arms encouragingly at them； which only made them the more uneasy。 They did n't understand。 He snapped his arms harder； as he lifted his voice to the rafters； still they only stared。 At last Dad thought he saw through him。 He bravely stood up and looked hard at the others。 They took the hint and rose clumsily to their feet； but just then the hymn closed； and； as no one seemed to know when to sit again； they remained standing。
They were standing when a loud whip…crack sounded close to the house； and a lusty voice roared：
〃Wah Tumbler！ Wah Tumbler！ Gee back； Brandy！ Gee back； you！！！！！！〃
People smiled。 Then a team of bullocks appeared on the road。 The driver drawled； 〃Wa…a…a…y！〃 and the team stopped right in front of the door。 The driver lifted something weighty from the dray and struggled to the verandah with it and dropped it down。 It was a man。 The bullock…driver； of course； did n't know that a religious service was being conducted inside； and the chances are he did n't much care。 He only saw a number of faces looking out； and talked at them。
〃I've a cove here；〃 he said； 〃that I found lying on the plain。 Gawd knows what's up with himI don't。 A good square feed is about what he wants； I reckon。〃 Then he went back for the man's swag。
Dad； after hesitating； rose and went out。 The others followed like a flock of sheep； and the 〃shepherd〃 brought up the rear。 Church was out。 It gathered around the seeming corpse； and stared hard at it。 Dad and Dave spoke at the same time。
〃Why；〃 they said； 〃it's the cove with the bear…skin cap！〃 Sure enough it was。 The clergyman knelt down and felt the man's pulse； then went and brought a bottle from his valisehe always carried the bottle； he said； in case of snake…bite and things like thatand poured some of the contents down the man's throat。 The colour began to come to the man's face。 The clergyman gave him some more； and in a while the man opened his eyes。 They rested on Dad； who was bending benignly over him。 He seemed to recognise Dad。 He stared for some time at him； then said something in a feeble whisper； which the clergyman interpreted〃He wishes you〃 looking at Dad〃to get what's in his swag if he dies。〃 Dad nodded； and his thoughts went sadly back to the day he turned the poor devil out of the barn。
They carried the man inside and placed him on the sofa。 But soon he took a turn。 He sank quickly； and in a few moments he was dead。 In a few moments more nearly everyone had gone。
〃While you are here；〃 Dad said to the clergyman； in a soft voice； 〃I'll open the swag。〃 He commenced to unroll itit was a big blanketand when he got to the end there were his own trousersthe lost ones； nothing more。 Dad's eyes met Mother's； Dave's met Sal's； none of them spoke。 But the clergyman drew his own conclusions； and on the following Sunday； at Nobby…Nobby； he preached a stirring sermon on that touching bequest of the man with the bear…skin cap。
CHAPTER XXVI。
One Christmas。
Three days to Christmas； and how pleased we were！ For months we had looked forward to it。 Kate and Sandy； whom we had only seen once since they went on their selection； were to be home。 Dave； who was away shearing for the first time； was coming home too。 Norah； who had been away for a year teaching school； was home already。 Mother said she looked quite the lady； and Sal envied the fashionable cut of her dresses。
Things were in a fair way at Shingle Hut； rain had fallen and everything looked its best。 The grass along the headlands was almost as tall as the corn； the Bathurst…burr； the Scotch…thistles； and the 〃stinking Roger〃 were taller。 Grow！ Dad never saw the like。 Why； the cultivation was n't large enough to hold the melon and pumpkin vinesthey travelled into the horse…paddock and climbed up trees and over logs and stumps； and they would have fastened on the horses only the horses were fat and fresh and often galloped about。 And the stock！ Blest if the old cows did n't carry udders like camp…ovens； and had so much milk that one could track them everywhere they wentthey leaked so。 The old plough…horses； tooonly a few months before dug out of the dam with a spade； and slung up between heaven and earth for a week； and fed and prayed for regularly by Dadactually bolted one day with the dray because Joe rattled a dish of corn behind them。 Even the pet kangaroo was nearly jumping out of its skin； and it took the big black 〃goanna〃 that used to come after eggs all its time to beat Dad from the barn to the nearest tree； so fat was it。 And such a season for butterflies and grasshoppers； and grubs and snakes； and native bears！ Given an ass； an elephant； and an empty wine…bottle or two； and one might have thought Noah's ark had been emptied at our selection。
Two days to Christmas。 The sun getting low。 An old cow and a heifer in the stock…yard。 Dad in； admiring them； Mother and Sal squinting through the rails； little Bill perched on one of the round posts； nursing the steel and a long knife； Joe running hard from the barn with a plough…rein。
Dad was wondering which beast to kill； and expressed a preference for the heifer。 Mother said； 〃No； kill the cow。〃 Dad inspected the cow again； and shook his head。
〃Well； if you don't she'll only die； if the winter's a hard one； then you'll have neither。〃 That settled it。 Dad took the rope from Joe； who arrived aglow with heat and excitement； and fixed a running noose on one end of it。 Then
〃Hunt 'em round！〃 he cried。
Joe threw his hat at them； and chased them round and round the yard。 Dad turned slowly in the centre； like a ring…master； his eye on the cow； a coil of rope was in this left hand； and with the right he measuredly swung the loop over and over his head for some time。 At last the cow gave him a chance at her horns； and he let fly。 The rope whizzed across the yard； caught little Bill round the neck； and brought him down off the post。 Dad could hardly believe it。 He first stared at Bill as he rolled in the yard； then at the cow。 Mother wished to know if he wanted to kill the boy； and Joe giggled and； with a deal of courage； assured Dad it was 〃a fine shot。〃 The cow and the heifer ran into a corner； and switched their tails； and raked skin and hair off each other with their horns。
〃What do you want to be always stuck in the road for？〃 Dad growled； taking the rope off little Bill's neck。 〃Go away from here altogether！〃 Little Bill went away； so did Mother and Saluntil Dad had roped the cow； which was n't before he twice lassoed the heiferonce by the fore…leg and once round the flanks。 The cow thereupon carried a panel of the yard away； and got out and careered down the lane； bucking and bellowing till all the cattle of the country gathered about her。
Dad's blood was up。 He was hanging on to the rope； his heels ploughing the dust； and the cow pulling him about as she liked。 The sun was setting； a beautiful sunset； too； and Mother and Sal were admiring it。
〃Did y' never see th' blasted sun gogo down be〃 Dad did n't finish。 He feet slid under a rail； causing him to relax his grip of the rope and sprawl in the dust。 But when he rose！
〃Are y' going t' stand staring there all night？〃 They were beside the rails in an instant； took the end of the rope which he passed to them； put it once round the gallows…post； and pulled…pulled like sailors。 Dad hung on close to the cow's