按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
them。 Dave thought they were like the inside of a bear…skin covered with writing。
Dad said he would ride to town at once； and went for Emelina。
〃Could n't y' find her； Dad？〃 Dan said； seeing him return without the mare。
Dad cleared his throat； but did n't answer。 Mother asked him。
〃Yes； I FOUND her；〃 he said slowly； 〃DEAD。〃
The crows had got her at last。
He wrapped the deeds in a piece of rag and walked。
There was nothing； scarcely； that he did n't send out from town； and Jimmy Mulcahy and old Anderson many and many times after that borrowed our dray。
Now Dad regularly curses the deeds every mail…day； and wishes to Heaven he had never got them。
Chapter IV。
When the Wolf was at the Door。
There had been a long stretch of dry weather； and we were cleaning out the waterhole。 Dad was down the hole shovelling up the dirt； Joe squatted on the brink catching flies and letting them go again without their wingsa favourite amusement of his； while Dan and Dave cut a drain to turn the water that ran off the ridge into the holewhen it rained。 Dad was feeling dry； and told Joe to fetch him a drink。
Joe said： 〃See first if this cove can fly with only one wing。〃 Then he went； but returned and said： 〃There's no water in the bucketMother used the last drop to boil th' punkins；〃 and renewed the fly…catching。 Dad tried to spit； and was going to say something when Mother； half…way between the house and the waterhole； cried out that the grass paddock was all on fire。 〃So it is； Dad！〃 said Joe； slowly but surely dragging the head off a fly with finger and thumb。
Dad scrambled out of the hole and looked。 〃Good God！〃 was all he said。 How he ran！ All of us rushed after him except Joehe could n't run very well； because the day before he had ridden fifteen miles on a poor horse； bare…back。 When near the fire Dad stopped running to break a green bush。 He hit upon a tough one。 Dad was in a hurry。 The bush was n't。 Dad swore and tugged with all his might。 Then the bush broke and Dad fell heavily upon his back and swore again。
To save the cockatoo fence that was round the cultivation was what was troubling Dad。 Right and left we fought the fire with boughs。 Hot！ It was hellish hot！ Whenever there was a lull in the wind we worked。 Like a wind…mill Dad's bough movedand how he rushed for another when one was used up！ Once we had the fire almost under control； but the wind rose again； and away went the flames higher and faster than ever。
〃It's no use；〃 said Dad at last； placing his hand on his head； and throwing down his bough。 We did the same； then stood and watched the fence go。 After supper we went out again and saw it still burning。 Joe asked Dad if he did n't think it was a splendid sight？ Dad did n't answer himhe did n't seem conversational that night。
We decided to put the fence up again。 Dan had sharpened the axe with a broken file； and he and Dad were about to start when Mother asked them what was to be done about flour？ She said she had shaken the bag to get enough to make scones for that morning's breakfast； and unless some was got somewhere there would be no bread for dinner。
Dad reflected； while Dan felt the edge on the axe with his thumb。
Dad said； 〃Won't Missus Dwyer let you have a dishful until we get some？〃
〃No；〃 Mother answered； 〃I can't ask her until we send back what we owe them。〃
Dad reflected again。 〃The Andersons； then？〃 he said。
Mother shook her head and asked what good there was it sending to them when they； only that morning； had sent to her for some？
〃Well； we must do the best we can at present；〃 Dad answered； 〃and I'll go to the store this evening and see what is to be done。〃
Putting the fence up again in the hurry that Dad was in was the very devil！ He felled the saplingsand such saplings！TREES many of them werewhile we； 〃all of a muck of sweat；〃 dragged them into line。 Dad worked like a horse himself； and expected us to do the same。 〃Never mind staring about you；〃 he'd say； if he caught us looking at the sun to see if it were coming dinner…time〃there's no time to lose if we want to get the fence up and a crop in。〃
Dan worked nearly as hard as Dad until he dropped the butt…end of a heavy sapling on his foot； which made him hop about on one leg and say that he was sick and tired of the dashed fence。 Then he argued with Dad； and declared that it would be far better to put a wire…fence up at once； and be done with it； instead of wasting time over a thing that would only be burnt down again。 〃How long；〃 he said； 〃will it take to get the posts？ Not a week；〃 and he hit the ground disgustedly with a piece of stick he had in his hand。
〃Confound it！〃 Dad said； 〃have n't you got any sense； boy？ What earthly use would a wire…fence be without any wire in it？〃
Then we knocked off and went to dinner。
No one appeared in any humour to talk at the table。 Mother sat silently at the end and poured out the tea while Dad； at the head； served the pumpkin and divided what cold meat there was。 Mother would n't have any meatone of us would have to go without if she had taken any。
I don't know if it was on account of Dan arguing with him； or if it was because there was no bread for dinner； that Dad was in a bad temper； anyway； he swore at Joe for coming to the table with dirty hands。 Joe cried and said that he could n't wash them when Dave； as soon as he had washed his； had thrown the water out。 Then Dad scowled at Dave； and Joe passed his plate along for more pumpkin。
Dinner was almost over when Dan； still looking hungry； grinned and asked Dave if he was n't going to have some BREAD？ Whereupon Dad jumped up in a tearing passion。 〃Dn your insolence！〃 he said to Dan； 〃make a jest of it； would you？〃
〃Who's jestin'？〃 Dan answered and grinned again。
〃Go！〃 said Dad； furiously； pointing to the door； 〃leave my roof； you thankless dog！〃
Dan went that night。
It was only upon Dad promising faithfully to reduce his account within two months that the storekeeper let us have another bag of flour on credit。 And what a change that bag of flour wrought！ How cheerful the place became all at once！ And how enthusiastically Dad spoke of the farm and the prospects of the coming season！
Four months had gone by。 The fence had been up some time and ten acres of wheat put in； but there had been no rain； and not a grain had come up； or was likely to。
Nothing had been heard of Dan since his departure。 Dad spoke about him to Mother。 〃The scamp！〃 he said； 〃to leave me just when I wanted helpafter all the years I've slaved to feed him and clothe him； see what thanks I get！ but； mark my word； he'll be glad to come back yet。〃 But Mother would never say anything against Dan。
The weather continued dry。 The wheat did n't come up； and Dad became despondent again。
The storekeeper called every week and reminded Dad of his promise。 〃I would give it you willingly；〃 Dad would say； 〃if I had it； Mr。 Rice； but what can I do？ You can't knock blood out of a stone。〃
We ran short of tea； and Dad thought to buy more with the money Anderson owed him for some fencing he had done； but when he asked for it； Anderson was very sorry he had n't