of hobbles hanging to the saddle. The bridle was a cheap affair, but the saddle was as good as they make them in Wagga, and quite new. During the previous afternoon, I had marked something incongruous in Bumâs ownership of such a piece of furniture. But being always, I trust, superior to anything like surprise, I saddled and mounted Bunyip, took Cleopatra by the rein, and joined the Ishmaelites, who, on their bare-backed horses, were hurrying contingents of cattle from different directions toward the gap of the fence, whilst the fascination of overhanging danger bore so heavily on their personal and professional dignitythat every eye kept an anxious look-out toward the ram-paddock. In a few minutes more, we were all outside the fence; and the drivers immediately began yoking. I hooked Cleopatraâs rein on a wool-lever, and, still riding Bunyip, kept Thompsonâs and Cooperâs bullocks together. Moseyâs dog was performing the same office for him and Price. Willoughby hadnât returned with the muster; and Bum was still absent
âDid you count my (bullocks) ?â demanded Dixon, limping slowly and painfully toward his big roan horse.
âO you sweet speciment!â retorted Mosey, as he picked up his second yoke. âWhy the (compound expletive) donât you rouse rounâ?â
âHow the (same expression) ken I rouse rounâ? I got the screwmatics in my (adj.) hip.â
âSomethinâ like youâStanâ over, Rodney, or Iâll twist the tail off oâ youâYou donât ketch me havinâ nothinâ wrong oâ me when things isââ
âNo, begad! no you donât!âtake that! ah! would you indeed!âon you go, dem you! s-s-s-s-s! get up there!â It was Willoughbyâsvoice among the salt-bush; and, the next moment, half-a-dozen beasts leaped the wires and darted, capering and shying, past thewagons. â
Quod petis hic est!
â panted their pursuer triumphantly.âThe mouse may help the lion, remember, according to the oldââ
Then such a cataract of obscenity and invective from Price and Mosey, while Cooper remarked gravely:
âThem ainât our bullocks, Willerby; themâs station cattleâshoved in that paddick for something particâlar. Now theyâre off to (sheol); anâ itâs three good hoursâ work with a horse anâ stockwhip, to git âem in here agen. Anâ that kangaroo dog ainât makinâ matters much better. Lord stanâ by us now! for weâll git (adv.) near hung if weâre caught.â
And, to be sure, there was Pup looping himself along the plain in hot pursuit. It was no use attempting to call him off, for Nature has not endowed the kangaroo dog with sufficient instinct to bring him in touch with his master, except when the latter offers him food. But there is always some penalty attached to the possession of anything really valuable. So, though I wasnât interested in the cattle, I was bound to follow them till I recovered my dog. Thompsonâs unpretentious stockwhip was in my hand at the time; and, judging it unlikely that Cleopatra had been broken in to the use of that disquieting implement, I was just turning Bunyip round, when Willoughby stepped forwardâ
âPermit me to redeem my unfortunate mistake by assisting you!â he exclaimed. âI have ridden to hounds in England. May I take this horse? Thanks. Pray remember that I shall be under your orders, Collins.â
âTake care might he buck-lep,â I remarked casually, as the whaler gathered Cleopatraâs reins, and threw himself into the deep seat of the new saddle.
And, to my genuine astonishment, he did buck-lep. But he took no mean advantage of his rider; he allowed him time to find the off stirrup, and then led off with a forward spring about five feet high. Willoughbyâsmall blame to himâwas jerked clean out of the saddle, and lit
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