Robbery under Arms / A Story of Life and Adventure in the Bush and in the Australian Goldfields

mistake. I wonder where they're taking them to.' Aileen shrugged her shoulders and walked i

All sorts of wonders passed through our minds as we walked down the creek bank, with our bridles in our hands, towards where our horses usually fed. One was easy to catch, the oth

while before we saw them. 'My word,' said Jim, 'ain't they restless. They can't hav

ly. I had a kind of idea, but I t

wheeling them every now and then. Their horses were pretty well knocked up. I knew father at once, and the old chestnut mare he used to ride-an animal with legs like timbers and a mule

l to-morrow morning. The dog came home, I suppose-that's what brought you here, wasn't it? I th

y, and what are you g

ee all about it to-morrow. I'll go and take a s

m wanted any. He didn't say anything, but went to sleep on his horse, which walked in and out among the angry cattle as he sat on the saddle with his head down

Hunter's and Falkland's brands on, which showed t

e circle dots belong to Banda. What a mob of calves! not one of t

slept after daylight, whether he had work to do or not. He certainly COULD work; daylight or dark, wet or dry, cold or hot, it was

start the cattle; we've been long enough here; let 'em head up that gully, and I'll sho

I said. 'They're all Mr. Hunter's and Mr

e when I was a child. 'You do what I tell you if you've any pluck and gumption about you; or else you and your brother can

better it would have been for all of us, the old man as well as ourselves; but it seemed as if it wasn't to be. Partly from use, and partly from a love of danger and something new, which is at the bottom of half the crime in the bush districts,

housands of years ago by an earthquake or something of that kind. The hills were that steep that every now and then some of the young cat

rack there was. There were overhanging rocks and places that made you giddy to look at, and some of these must ha

reat work it was to force the footsore cattle along,

e thought he'd have seen the track?

ated. It looks like it, at any rate. I saw how it was; father had given Crib a cruel beating the night before, when he was put out for some trifling matter, and the dog had left him and run home. But now he

per, I believe the cattle would have charged back and beat us. There was a sort of rough table-land-scrubby and stony and thick it was, but still the grass wasn't bad in summer, when the country b

e?' said father, riding up just then, as we were taking it easy a l

Jim, looking rather dismal. '

at's only the line to keep. I'll show you somethi

getting very hungry, and as he wasn't done growing he had no end of an appe

keep us wandering in this blessed Nulla Mountain all day. I wish I'd never seen the blessed cattle. I was only waiting f

aid; 'but it's too late now. W

then steering our course by the clear round top of Sugarloaf, that could be seen for miles round, but ne

e were any farms up

whisper. 'There's a "duffing-yard" some

it, anyway. We'll soo

now and then there was a break in the fence, when one of us had to go outside and hunt them until we came to the next bit. At last we came to

ho had cattle to hide and young stock they didn't want o

nce, and made up with limbs and logs, the range went up as steep as the side of a house. The cattle were that tired

them. 'We must brand these calves before dark. One of you can go to that gunyah, just under

ulkily began to put some bark and

'we're bound to be caught some day if we keep on at it. The

truck at this, and

u against your will. You may as well lend a hand to brand

rk like that. I remember thinking, like many another young fool, I sup

t, once he's regularly gone in for any of the devil's work and wage

en, and drop all this duffing work. It don't pay. I'm old enough to

l when they locked me up and sent me out here for a paltry hare; broke my old mother's heart, so it did. I've had a pound for every hair in her ski

cave with a face of joy, a bag of sh

nd a big lump of cheese. Get the fire right, Dick, while I get so

self, and gave Jim and me a sip each. I felt less inclined to quarrel with father after that. So we draft

d see they were all belonging to Mr. Hunter and Mr. Falkland. How they came to leave them all so long unbranded I can't say. Very careless

o with them all when he had br

in a straight line. These cows are dead sure to make straight back the very minute they're let

e round for a hot bran

here, would it?' and father actually laughed. It wasn't a very gay kind of a laugh, and he shut up his mouth wi

r that they are not the property of the man to whom that brand belongs. He may believe them to be his, but may never have seen them in his lif

seen sucking another man's cows, it is pretty plain that the brand on the calves has been put on without the consent of the owner of the cows-which is cattle-stealing; a felony

of time in Berrima Gaol-worse luck-my first stretch. Bu