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At last the four acresexcepting the biggest of the iron…bark trees and about fifty stumpswere pretty well cleared； and then came a problem that could n't be worked…out on a draught…board。 I have already said that we had n't any draught horses； indeed； the only thing on the selection like a horse was an old 〃tuppy〃 mare that Dad used to straddle。 The date of her foaling went further back than Dad's； I believe； and she was shaped something like an alderman。 We found her one day in about eighteen inches of mud； with both eyes picked out by the crows； and her hide bearing evidence that a feathery tribe had made a roost of her carcase。 Plainly； there was no chance of breaking up the ground with her help。 We had no plough； either； how then was the corn to be put in？ That was the question。
Dan and Dave sat outside in the corner of the chimney； both scratching the ground with a chip and not saying anything。 Dad and Mother sat inside talking it over。 Sometimes Dad would get up and walk round the room shaking his head； then he would kick old Crib for lying under the table。 At last Mother struck something which brightened him up； and he called Dave。
〃Catch Topsy and〃 He paused because he remembered the old mare was dead。
〃Run over and ask Mister Dwyer to lend me three hoes。〃
Dave went； Dwyer lent the hoes； and the problem was solved。 That was how we started。
Chapter II。
Our First Harvest
If there is anything worse than burr…cutting or breaking stones； it's putting corn in with a hoe。
We had just finished。 The girls were sowing the last of the grain when Fred Dwyer appeared on the scene。 Dad stopped and talked with him while we （Dan； Dave and myself） sat on our hoe…handles； like kangaroos on their tails； and killed flies。 Terrible were the flies； particularly when you had sore legs or the blight。
Dwyer was a big man with long； brown arms and red； bushy whiskers。
〃You must find it slow work with a hoe？〃 he said。
〃Well…yes…pretty；〃 replied Dad （just as if he was n't quite sure）。
After a while Dwyer walked over the 〃cultivation〃； and looked at it hard； then scraped a hole with the heel of his boot； spat； and said he did n't think the corn would ever come up。 Dan slid off his perch at this； and Dave let the flies eat his leg nearly off without seeming to feel it； but Dad argued it out。
〃Orright； orright；〃 said Dwyer； 〃I hope it do。〃
Then Dad went on to speak of places he knew of where they preferred hoes to a plough for putting corn in with； but Dwyer only laughed and shook his head。
〃Dn him！〃 Dad muttered； when he had gone； 〃what rot！ WON'T COME UP！〃
Dan； who was still thinking hard； at last straightened himself up and said HE did n't think it was any use either。 Then Dad lost his temper。
〃No USE？〃 he yelled； 〃you whelp； what do you know about it？〃
Dan answered quietly： 〃On'y this； that it's nothing but tomfoolery； this hoe business。〃
〃How would you do it then？〃 Dad roared； and Dan hung his head and tried to button his buttonless shirt wrist…band while he thought。
〃With a plough；〃 he answered。
Something in Dad's throat prevented him saying what he wished； so he rushed at Dan with the hoe； butwas too slow。
Dan slept outside that night。
No sooner was the grain sown than it rained。 How it rained！ for weeks！ And in the midst of it all the corn came upevery grain…and proved Dwyer a bad prophet。 Dad was in high spirits and promised each of us somethingnew boots all round。
The corn continued to growso did our hopes； but a lot faster。 Pulling the suckers and 〃heeling it up〃 with hoes was but child's playwe liked it。 Our thoughts were all on the boots； 'twas months months since we had pulled on a pair。 Every night； in bed； we decided twenty times over whether they would be lace…ups or bluchers； and Dave had a bottle of 〃goanna〃 oil ready to keep his soft with。
Dad now talked of going up countryas Mother put it； 〃to keep the wolf from the door〃while the four acres of corn ripened。 He went； and returned on the day Tom and Bill were borntwins。 Maybe his absence did keep the wolf from the door； but it did n't keep the dingoes from the fowl…house！
Once the corn ripened it did n't take long to pull it； but Dad had to put on his considering…cap when we came to the question of getting it in。 To hump it in bags seemed inevitable till Dwyer asked Dad to give him a hand to put up a milking…yard。 Then Dad's chance came； and he seized it。
Dwyer； in return for Dad's labour； carted in the corn and took it to the railway…station when it was shelled。 Yes； when it WAS shelled！ We had to shell it with our hands； and what a time we had！ For the first half…hour we did n't mind it at all； and shelled cob after cob as though we liked it； but next day； talk about blisters！ we could n't close our hands for them； and our faces had to go without a wash for a fortnight。
Fifteen bags we got off the four acres； and the storekeeper undertook to sell it。 Corn was then at 12 shillings and 14 shillings per bushel； and Dad expected a big cheque。
Every day for nearly three weeks he trudged over to the store （five miles） and I went with him。 Each time the storekeeper would shake his head and say 〃No word yet。〃
Dad could n't understand。 At last word did come。 The storekeeper was busy serving a customer when we went in； so he told Dad to 〃hold on a bit〃。
Dad felt very pleasedso did I。
The customer left。 The storekeeper looked at Dad and twirled a piece of string round his first finger； then said〃Twelve pounds your corn cleared； Mr。 Rudd； but； of course〃 （going to a desk） 〃there's that account of yours which I have credited with the amount of the chequethat brings it down now to just three pound； as you will see by the account。〃
Dad was speechless； and looked sick。
He went home and sat on a block and stared into the fire with his chin resting in his hands； till Mother laid her hand upon his shoulder and asked him kindly what was the matter。 Then he drew the storekeeper's bill from his pocket； and handed it to her； and she too sat down and gazed into the fire。
That was OUR first harvest。
Chapter III。
Before We Got The Deeds
Our selection adjoined a sheep…run on the Darling Downs； and boasted of few and scant improvements； though things had gradually got a little better than when we started。 A verandahless four…roomed slab…hut now standing out from a forest of box…trees； a stock…yard； and six acres under barley were the only evidence of settlement。 A few horsesnot ourssometimes grazed about； and occasionally a mob of cattlealso not ourscows with young calves； steers； and an old bull or two； would stroll around； chew the best legs of any trousers that might be hanging on the log reserved as a clothes…line； then leave in the night and be seen no more for monthssome of them never。
And yet we were always out of meat！
Dad was up the country earning a few poundsthe corn drove him up when it did n't bring what he expected。 All we got out of it was a bag of flourI do n't know what the storekeeper got。 Before he left we put in the barley。 Somehow； Dad did n't believe in sowing any more crops； he seemed to lose heart； but