Nobody knows how you deserve the good things better than JoeGursey, missus. His hand appeared in the limelight of the sun,clutching a mutton bone.

Or dyouexpect the squatters to come and ask you to pick the eyes out oftheir runs, eh?

Emma went to get the things and he unloaded his bluey and sootedbilly and sat down on the doorstep. He liftedhimself on his elbow and let the blankets fall.

It never changes, he muttered in the next breath.

One of these days youll be worth your weight in gold a hundredtimes. Like the carrot they hang in frontof the donkey to keep it jogging, he used to say.

He didnt wait to asktwice, Ill bet me bottom dollar. Its just that once, ten yearsbefore you saw the light, he slammed the door of chokey on me forlife.

Here andthere sheep, cattle, horses, and the slow smoke of scrub burningoff.

If Sambos alarums had disturbed him at all it would have been onlyfor the moment.

And heres meknocked down twice that much in one go down Mother OConnors lastmonth. There wont be enough Irish navvies to knock them hillsflat at fifteen bob a day.

Ustahave the best rams n the best horses too.

And thinking therell be anyland but stony ridges waiting for you in New South Wales.

Had either of thesebeen true what could he have expected from the future?

More difficult to bear was the malice of Emma. Joe frowned and slid back into his corner.

A questionthe tone of his disillusioned musings was not likely to solve.

I been walkingaround a long time, missus.

And old enough to sign my cheques and pay the undertaker, Iexpect. Monaghan exclaimed, goggling at the hithertounsuspected richness of the commodity market.

Now, as helistened to Gursey, it was like the pain of dry vomit. Ye could buy one of them things yeself then, Monaghan said.

No, I dont hold with Chows in a white mans country. Youll be boss before youve learnt how to be if you dont startsoon. It must be fine always being the way you are.

The telegraph had conquered theDead Heart of Australia.

Joe frowned and slid back into his corner. Git along wid ye, says I, thats nobewitchun that.