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t all down。 On'y I could n't get anything； I'd er broke 'er headthere was n't a thing； on'y dead cornstalks and cow…dung about。〃 Then he lunged his fork desperately at a blowfly that persistently hovered about his plate； and commenced。
Joe had a healthy appetite。 He had charged his mouth with a load of cold meat； when his jaws ceased work； and； opening his mouth as though he were sleepy； he leaned forward and calmly returned it all to the plate。 Dad got suspicious and asked Joe what was up； but Joe only wiped his mouth； looked sideways at his plate； and pushed it away。
All of us stopped eating then； and stared at each other。 Mother said； 〃Well； II wrapped a cloth round it so nothing could get in； and put it in the safeI don't know where on earth to put the meat； I'm sure； if I put it in a bag and hang it up that thief of a dog gets it。〃
〃Yes；〃 Dad observed； 〃I believe he'd stick his nose into hell itself； Ellen； if he thought there was a bone thereand there ought to be lots by this time。〃 Then he turned over the remains of that cold meat； and； considering we had all witnessed the last kick of the slaughtered beast； it was surprising what animation this part of him yet retained。 In vain did Dad explore for a really dead piecethere was life in all of it。
Joe was n't satisfied。 He said he knew where there was a lot of eggs； and disappeared down the yard。 Eggs were not plentiful on our selection； because we too often had to eat the hens when there was no meatthree or four were as many as we ever saw at one time。 So on this day； when Joe appeared with a hatful； there was excitement。 He felt himself a hero。 We thought him a little saviour。
〃My！〃 said Mother； 〃where did you get all those？〃
〃Get 'em！ I've had these planted for three muncethey're a nest I found long ago； I thought I would n't say anythink till we really wanted 'em。〃
Just then one of the eggs fell out of the hat and went off 〃pop〃 on the floor。
Dave nearly upset the table； he rose so suddenly； and covering his nose with one hand he made for the door； then he scowled back over his shoulder at Joe。 He utterly scorned his brother Joe。 All of us deserted the table except Dadhe stuck to his place manfully； it took a lot to shift HIM。
Joe must have had a fine nerve。 〃That's on'y one bad 'n'；〃 he said； taking the rest to the fireplace where the kettle stood。 Then Dad； who had remained calm and majestic； broke out。 〃Damn y'； boy！〃 he yelled； 〃take th' awful things outsideYOU tinker！〃 Joe took them out and tried them all； but I forget if he found a good one。
Dad peered into the almost…empty water…cask and again muttered a short prayer for rain。 He decided to do no more grubbing that day； but to run wire around the new land instead。 The posts had been in the ground some time； and were bored。 Dave and Sarah bored them。 Sarah was as good as any manso Dad reckoned。 She could turn her hand to anything； from sewing a shirt to sinking a post…hole。 She could give Dave inches in arm measurements； and talk about a leg！ She HAD a lega beauty！ It was as thick at the ankle as Dad's was at the thigh； nearly。
Anyone who would know what real amusement is should try wiring posts。 What was to have been the top wire （the No。 8 stuff） Dad commenced to put in the bottom holes； and we ran it through some twelve or fifteen posts before he saw the mistakethen we dragged it out slowly and savagely； Dad swearing adequately all the time。
At last everything went splendidly。 We dragged the wire through panel after panel； and at intervals Dad would examine the blistering sky for signs of rain。 Once when he looked up a red bullock was reaching for his waistcoat； which hung on a branch of a low tree。 Dad sang out。 The bullock poked out his tongue and reached higher。 Then Dad told Joe to run。 Joe ranso did the bullock； but faster； and with the waistcoat that once was a part of Mother's shawl half…way down his throat。 Had the shreds and ribbons that dangled to it been a little longer； he might have trodden on them and pulled it back； but he did n't。 Joe deemed it his duty to follow that red bullock till it dropped the waistcoat； so he hammered along full split behind。 Dad and Dave stood watching until pursued and pursuer vanished down the gully； then Dad said something about Joe being a fool； and they pulled at the wire again。 They were nearing a corner post； and Dad was hauling the wire through the last panel； when there came the devil's own noise of galloping hoofs。 Fifty or more cattle came careering along straight for the fence； bellowing and kicking up their heels in the air； as cattle do sometimes after a shower of rain。 Joe was behind themconsiderablystill at full speed and yelping like a dog。 Joe loved excitement。
For weeks those cattle had been accustomed to go in and out between the posts； and they did n't seem to have any thoughts of wire as they bounded along。 Dave stood with gaping mouth。 Dad groaned； and the wire's…end he was holding in his hand flew up with a whiz and took a scrap of his ear away。 The cattle got mixed up in the wires。 Some toppled over； some were caught by the legs； some by the horns。 They dragged the wire twenty and thirty yards away； twisted it round logs； and left a lot of the posts pointing to sunset。
Oh； Dad's language then！ He swung his arms about and foamed at the mouth。 Dave edged away from him。
Joe came up waving triumphantly a chewed piece of the waistcoat。 〃D…d…did it g…give them a buster； Dad？〃 he said； the sweat running over his face as though a spring had broken out on top of his head。 Dad jumped a log and tried to unbuckle his strap and reach for Joe at the same time； but Joe fled。
That threw a painful pall over everything。 Dad declared he was sick and tired of the whole thing； and would n't do another hand's…turn。 Dave meditated and walked along the fence； plucking off scraps of skin and hair that here and there clung to the bent and battered wire。
We had just finished supper when old Bob Wren； a bachelor who farmed about two miles from us； arrived。 He used to come over every mail…night and bring his newspaper with him。 Bob could n't read a word； so he always got Dad to spell over the paper to him。 WE did n't take a newspaper。
Bob said there were clouds gathering behind Flat Top when he came in； and Dad went out and looked； and for the fiftieth time that day prayed in his own way for rain。 Then he took the paper； and we gathered at the table to listen。 〃Hello；〃 he commenced； 〃this is M'Doolan's paper you've got； Bob。〃
Bob rather thought it was n't。
〃Yes； yes； man； it IS；〃 Dad put in； 〃see； it's addressed to him。〃
Bob leaned over and LOOKED at the address； and said： 〃No； no； that's mine； it always comes like that。〃 Dad laughed。 We all laughed。 He opened it； anyway。 He had n't read for five minutes when the light flickered nearly out。 Sarah reckoned the oil was about done； and poured water in the lamp to raise the kerosene to the wick； but that did n't last long； and； as there was no fat in the house； Dad squatted on the floor and read by the firelight。
He plodded through the paper tediously from end to end； reading the murders and robberies a seco