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Mrs。 Maloney was arguing with Anderson。 She was claiming to have husked two cobs to his one； when the dogs started barking savagely。 Dad crawled from beneath a heap of husks and went out。 The night was dark。 He bade the dogs 〃Lie down。〃 They barked louder。 〃Damn youlie down！〃 he roared。 They shut up。 Then a voice from the darkness said：
〃Is that you； Mr。 Rudd？〃
Dad failed to recognise it； and went to the fence where the visitor was。 He remained there talking for fully half…an…hour。 Then he returned； and said it was young Donovan。
〃DONOVAN！ MICK Donovan？〃 exclaimed Anderson。 And Mother and Mrs。 Maloney and Joe echoed 〃MICK Donovan？〃 They WERE surprised。
〃He's none too welcome；〃 said Anderson； thinking of his horses and cows。 Mother agreed with him； while Mrs。 Maloney repeated over and over again that she was always under the impression that Mick Donovan was in gaol along with his bad old father。 Dad was uncommunicative。 There was something on his mind。 He waited till the company had gone； then consulted with Dave。
They were outside； in the dark； and leant on the dray。 Dad said in a low voice： 〃He's come a hundred mile to…day； 'n' his horse is dead…beat； 'n' he wants one t' take him t' Back Creek t'morrer 'n' leave this one in his place。。。Wot d'y' think？〃 Dave seemed to think a great deal； for he said nothing。
〃Now；〃 continued Dad； 〃it's me opinion the horse is n't his； it's one he's shookan' I've an idea。〃 Then he proceeded to instruct Dave in the idea。 A while later he called Joe and drilled him in the idea。
That night； young Donovan stayed at Shingle Hut。 In the morning Dad was very affable。 He asked Donovan to come and show him his horse； as he must see it before thinking of exchanging。 They proceeded to the paddock together。 The horse was standing under a tree； tired…looking。 Dad stood and looked at Donovan for fully half…a…minute without speaking。
〃Why； damn it！〃 he exclaimed； at last； 〃that's MY OWN horse。。。You don't mean。。。S'help me！ Old Bess's foal！〃 Donovan told him he was making a mistake。
〃Mistake be hanged！〃 replied Dad； walking round the animal。 〃Not much of a mistake about HIM！〃
Just here Dave appeared； as was proper。
〃Do you know this horse？〃 Dad asked him。 〃Yes； of course；〃 he answered； surprisedly； with his eyes open wide； 〃Bess's foal！of course it is。〃
〃There you are！〃 said Dad； grinning triumphantly。
Donovan seemed uneasy。
Joe in his turn appeared。 Dad put the same question to him。 Of course Joe knew Bess's foal〃the one that got stole。〃
There was a silence。
〃Now；〃 said Dad； looking very grave； 〃what have y' got t' say？ Who'd y' get him off？ Show's y'r receipt。〃
Donovan had nothing to say； he preferred to be silent。
〃Then；〃 Dad went on； 〃clear out of this as fast as you can go； an' think y'rself lucky。〃
He cleared； but on foot。
Dad gazed after him； and； as he left the paddock； said：
〃One too many f' y' that time； Mick Donovan！〃 Then to Dave； who was still looking at the horse： 〃He's a stolen one right enough； but he's a beauty； and we'll keep him； and if the owner ever comes for him； wellif he is the ownerhe can have him； that's all。〃
We had the horse for eighteen months and more。 One day Dad rode him to town。 He was no sooner there than a man came up and claimed him。 Dad objected。 The man went off and brought a policeman。 〃Orright〃Dad said〃TAKE him。〃 The policeman took him。 He took Dad too。 The lawyer got Dad off； but it cost us five bags of potatoes。 Dad did n't grudge them； for he reckoned we'd had value。 Besides； he was even with the Donovans for the two cows。
Chapter XI。
A Splendid Year For Corn。
We had just finished supper。 Supper！ dry bread and sugarless tea。 Dad was tired out and was resting at one end of the sofa； Joe was stretched at the other； without a pillow； and his legs tangled up among Dad's。 Bill and Tom squatted in the ashes； while Mother tried to put the fat…lamp into burning order by poking it with a table…fork。
Dad was silent； he seemed sad； and lay for some time gazing at the roof。 He might have been watching the blaze of the glorious moon or counting the stars through the gaps in the shingles； but he was n'tthere was no such sentiment in Dad。 He was thinking how his long years of toil and worry had been rewarded again and again by disappointmentwondering if ever there would be a turn in his luck； and how he was going to get enough out of the land that season to pay interest and keep Mother and us in bread and meat。
At last he spoke； or rather muttered disjointedly； 〃Plen…tyto eatin the safe。〃 Then suddenly； in a strange and hollow voice； he shouted；〃 THEY' RE DEADALL OF THEN！ I STARVED THEM！〃
Mother DID get a fright。 She screamed。 Then Dad jumped up； rubbing his eyes； and asked what was the matter。 Nothing was the matter THEN。 He had dozed and talked in his sleep； that was all； he had n't starved anyone。 Joe did n't jump up when Mother screamednot altogether； he raised himself and reached for Dad's pillow； then lay down and snored serenely till bed…time。
Dad sat gloomily by the fire and meditated。 Mother spoke pleadingly to him and asked him not to fret。 He ran his fingers uneasily through his hair and spat in the ashes。 〃Don't fret？ When there's not a bit to eat in the placewhen there's no way of getting anything； and whenmerciful God！every year sees things worse than they were before。〃
〃It's only fancy；〃 Mother went on。 〃And you've been brooding and brooding till it seems far worse than it really is。〃
〃It's no fancy； Ellen。〃 Then； after a pause〃Was the thirty acres of wheat that did n't come up fancy？ Is it only fancy that we've lost nearly every beast in the paddock？ Was the drought itself a fancy？ Nono。〃 And he shook his head sadly and stared again into the fire。
Dad's inclination was to leave the selection； but Mother pleaded for another trial of itjust one more。 She had wonderful faith in the selection； had Mother。 She pleaded until the fire burned low； then Dad rose and said： 〃Well； we'll try it once more with corn； and if nothing comes of it why then we MUST give it up。〃 Then he took the spade and raked the fire together and covered it with asheswe always covered the fire over before going to bed so as to keep it alight。 Some mornings； though； it would be out； when one of us would have to go across to Anderson's and borrow a fire…stick。 Any of us but Joehe was sent only once； and on that occasion he stayed at Anderson's to breakfast； and on his way back successfully burnt out two grass paddocks belonging to a J。P。
So we began to prepare the soil for another crop of corn； and Dad started over the same old ground with the same old plough。 How I remember that old； screwed and twisted plough！ The land was very hard； and the horses out of condition。 We wanted a furrow…horse。 Smith had onea good one。 〃Put him in the furrow；〃 he said to Dad； 〃and you can't PULL him out of it。〃 Dad wished to have such a horse。 Smith offered to exchange for our roan saddle mareone we found running in the lane； and advertised as being in our paddock； and no one claimed it。 Dad exchanged。
He yoked the new horse to the p