Поющие в терновнике

           JackandHughiewereoffwiththeirfatherlearningtobestockmen—jackaroos,theyoungapprenticeswerecalled.Stuartwasn’tcompanythewayJackandHughieusedtobe.Helivedinaworldallhisown,aquietlittleboywhopreferredtositforhourswatchingthebehaviorofathrongofantsthanclimbtrees,whereasMeggieadoredtoclimbtreesandthoughtAustraliangumsweremarvelous,ofinfinitevarietyanddifficulty.Notthattherewasmuchtimefortree-climbing,orantwatchingforthatmatter.MeggieandStuartworkedhard.Theychoppedandcarriedthewood,dugholesforrefuse,tendedthevegetablegardenandlookedafterthefowlsandpigs.Theyalsolearnedhowtokillsnakesandspiders,thoughtheyneverceasedtofearthem.

           Therainfallhadbeenmediocrelygoodforseveralyears;thecreekwaslowbutthetankswereabouthalffull.Thegrasswasstillfairlygood,butapparentlynothingtoitslushtimes.

           "Itwillprobablygetworse,"saidMaryCarsongrimly.

           Buttheyweretoknowfloodbeforetheyencounteredafull-fledgeddrought.HalfwaythroughJanuarythecountrycaughtthesouthernedgeofthenorthwestmonsoons.Captiousintheextreme,thegreatwindsblewtosuitthemselves.Sometimesonlythefarnortherntipsofthecontinentfelttheirdrenchingsummerrains,sometimestheytraveledfardowntheOutbackandgavetheunhappyurbanitesofSydneyawetsummer.