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Chapter 6

Notoncedidheopenhismouthtocomplain,andwhenImarcheduptohimandyelleddidhewanttogohome,hesimplysmiledatmeandnodded!"

ButastimewentonitwastacitlyassumedthatStuartwouldnotgooutintothepaddockstoworkwithPaddyandtheotherboys,eventhoughinagehemighthave.Stuwouldremainonguardatthehouse,chopthewood,takecareofthevegetablegarden,dothemilking—thehugenumberofdutiesthewomenhadnotimeforwiththreebabiesinthehouse.Itwasprudenttohaveamanabouttheplace,albeitahalf-grownone;itgaveproofofothermencloseby.Fortherewerevisitors—theclumpofstrangebootsuptheplankstepstothebackveranda,astrangevoicesaying:

"Hullo,Missus,gotabitoftuckerforaman?"

TheOutbackhadswarmsofthem,swagmenhumpingtheirblueysfromstationtostation,downfromQueenslandandupfromVictoria,menwhohadlosttheirluckorwerecharyofholdingaregularjob,preferringtotramponfootthousandsofmilesinsearchofonlytheyknewwhat.Mostlytheyweredecentfellows,whoappeared,ateahugemeal,packedabitofdonatedteaandsugarandflourinthefoldsoftheirblueys,thendisappeareddownthetrackheadedforBarcoolaorNarrengang,batteredoldbillycansbouncing,skinnydogsbellydownbehindthem.Australianitinerantsrarelyrode;theywalked.