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those snivelling idiots and that pumpkin…headed Irish pig there。〃
Maloney lowered his jaw and opened his eyes。
〃Zhackly。 Did'n' I （HIC） shayzo； 'Loney？ Did'n' I； eh； ol' wom'n！〃 Dad mumbled； and dropped his chin on his chest。
Maloney began to take another view of the matter。 He put a leading question to Joe。
〃He MUSTER been bit；〃 Joe answered； 〃'cuz he had the d…death adder in his hand。〃
More silence。
〃Mush die 'fore shun'own；〃 Dad murmured。
Maloney was thinking hard。 At last he spoke。 〃Bridgy！〃 he cried； 〃where's th' childer？〃 Mrs。 Maloney gathered them up。
Just then Dad seemed to be dreaming。 He swayed about。 His head hung lower； and he muttered； 〃Shen'l'm'n； yoush disharged wish shanksh y'cun'ry。〃
The Maloneys left。
Dave is still alive and well； and silent as ever； and if any one question is more intolerable and irritating to him than another； it is to be asked if he remembers the time he was bitten by deaf…adder。
Chapter X。
Dad And The Donovans。
A sweltering summer's afternoon。 A heat that curled and withered the very weeds。 The corn…blades drooping； sulking still。 Mother and Sal ironing； mopping their faces with a towel and telling each other how hot it was。 The dog stretched across the doorway。 A child's bonnet on the floorthe child out in the sun。 Two horsemen approaching the slip…rails。
Dad had gone down the gully to Farmer； who had been sick for four days。 The ploughing was at a standstill in consequence； for we had only two draught…horses。 Dad erected a shelter over him； made of boughs； to keep the sun off。 Two or three times a day he cut greenstuff for himwhich the cows ate。 He humped water to him which he sullenly refused to drink； and did all in his power to persuade Farmer to get up and go on with the ploughing。 I don't know if Dad knew anything of mesmerism； but he used to stand for long intervals dumbly staring the old horse full in the eyes till in a commanding voice he would bid him； 〃Get up！〃 But Farmer lacked the patriotism of the back…block poets。 He was obdurate； and not once did he 〃awake；〃 not to mention 〃arise〃。
This afternoon； as Dad approached his dumb patient； he suddenly put down the bucket of water which he was carrying and ran； shouting angrily。 A flock of crows flew away from Farmer and 〃cawed〃 from a tree close by。 Dad was excited； and when he saw that one of the animal's eyes was gone and a stream of blood trickled over its nose he sat down and hid his face in his big rough hands。
〃CAW； CAW！〃 came from the tree。
Dad rose and looked up。
〃 CURSE you！〃 he hissed〃you black wretches of hell！〃
〃CAW； CAW； CAW〃
He ran towards the tree as though he would hurl it to the ground； and away flew the crows。
Joe arrived。
〃W…w…wuz they at him； Dad？〃
Dad turned on him； trembling with rage。
〃Oh； YOU son of the Devil！〃 he commenced。 〃YOU worthless pup； you！ Look there！ Do you see that？〃 （He pointed to the horse。） 〃Did n't I tell you to mind him？ Did n'〃
〃Yes；〃 snivelled Joe； 〃but Anderson's dog had a k…k…k…angaroo bailed up。〃
〃DAMN you； be off out of this！〃 And Dad aimed a block of wood at Joe which struck him on the back as he made away。 But nothing short of two broken legs would stop Joe； who the next instant had dashed among the corn like an emu into a scrub。
Dad returned to the house； foaming and vowing to take the gun and shoot Joe down like a wallaby。 But when he saw two horses hanging up he hesitated and would have gone away again had Mother not called out that he was wanted。 He went in reluctantly。
Red Donovan and his son； Mick； were there。 Donovan was the publican； butcher； and horse…dealer at the Overhaul。 He was reputed to be well…in； though some said that if everybody had their own he would n't be worth much。 He was a glib…tongued Irishman who knew everythingor fondly imagined he didfrom the law to horse…surgery。 There was money to be made out of selections； he reckoned； if selectors only knew how to make itthe majority； he proclaimed； did n't know enough to get under a tree when it rained。 As a dealer； he was a hard nut； never giving more than a 〃tenner〃 for a twenty pound beast； or selling a ten pound one for less than twenty pounds。 And few knew Donovan better than did Dad； or had been taken in by him oftener； but on this occasion Dad was in no easy or benevolent frame of mind。
He sat down； and they talked of crops and the weather； and beat about the bush until Donovan said：
〃Have you any fat steers to sell？〃
Dad had n't。 〃But；〃 he added； 〃I can sell you a horse。〃
〃Which one？〃 asked Donovan； for he knew the horses as well as Dad didperhaps better。
〃The bayFarmer。〃
〃How much？〃
〃Seven pounds。〃 Now； Farmer was worth fourteen pounds； if worth a shillingthat is； before he took sickand Donovan knew it well。
〃Seven；〃 he repeated ponderingly。 〃Give you six。〃
Never before did Dad show himself such an expert in dissimulation。 He shook his head knowingly； and enquired of Donovan if he would take the horse for nothing。
〃Split the difference； thenmake it six…ten？〃
Dad rose and looked out the window。
〃There he is now；〃 he remarked sadly； 〃in the gully there。〃
〃Well； what's it to besix…ten or nothing？〃 renewed Donovan。
〃All right； then；〃 Dad replied； demurely； 〃take him！〃
The money was paid there and then and receipts drawn up。 Then； saying that Mick would come for the horse on the day following； and after offering a little gratuitous advice on seed…wheat and pig…sticking； the Donovans left。
Mick came the next day； and Dad showed him Farmer； under the bushes。 He was n't dead； because when Joe sat on him he moved。 〃There he is；〃 said Dad； grinning。
Mick remained seated on his horse； bewildered…looking； staring first at Farmer； then at Dad。
〃Well？〃 Dad remarked； still grinning。 Then Mick spoke feelingly。
〃YOU SWINDLING OLD CRAWLER！〃 he said； and galloped away。 It was well for him he got a good start。
For long after that we turned the horses and cows into the little paddock at night； and if ever the dog barked Dad would jump up and go out in his shirt。
We put them back into the paddock again； and the first night they were there two cows got out and went away； taking with them the chain that fastened the slip…rails。 We never saw or heard of them again； but Dad treasured them in his heart。 Often； when he was thoughtful； he would ponder out plans for getting even with the Donovanswe knew it was the Donovans。 And Fate seemed to be of Dad's mind； for the Donovans got into 〃trouble；〃； and were reported to be 〃doing time。〃 That pleased Dad； but the vengeance was a little vague。 He would have liked a finger in the pie himself。
Four years passed。 It was after supper； and we were all husking corn in the barn。 Old Anderson and young Tom Anderson and Mrs。 Maloney were helping us。 We were to assist them the following week。 The barn was illuminated by fat…lamps； which made the spiders in the rafters uneasy and disturbed the slumbers of a few fowls that for months had insisted on roosting on the cross…beam。
Mrs。 Maloney was arguing with Anderson。 She was claiming to have husked two cobs to his one； when the dogs started b