Australia Felix

oat, with a scarlet shawl held about her shoulders, wisps of frowsy red hair standing out round her head, she balanced herself on

hither, like barnyard fowls in a panic. Summoned by shouts of: “Up with you, boys!— the traps are here!” numbers ascended from below to see the fun, while as many went hurriedly down to hiding in drive or chamber. Even those diggers who could pat the pocket in which their licence lay ceased work, and stood about with sullen faces to view the course of events. Only the group of Chinamen washing tail-h

a mare. Behind the Commissioner, who rode down thus from the Camp, came the members of his staff; these again were followed by a body of mounted troopers. They dr

e groans and cat-calls. Along with the derisive “Joeys!” the

bushrangers!— Oh, damn ’em, damn

’s what it is!” said

was copied by his staff. Only one of them, a very young boy who was new to the colony and his post, changed colour under his gaudy cap, went from whi

o hole, calling for the production of licences with an insolence that made its object see red. They were nice of scent, too, and, nine times in ten, pounced on just those unfortunates who, through carelessness, or lac

olice came closer, a spear of fright pierced his befuddled brain, and inside a breath he was off and away. Had the abruptness of his start not given him a slight advantage, he would have been caught at once. As it wa

rs in his rear. Six or seven of them shook up their bridles and ro

k and white subaltern made what was almost a movem

partner’s crack-brained dash for the open, his snorts of indignation found words. “Gaw-blimy! . . . is the old fool gone dotty?” Then he drew a whistling breath. “No, it’s more than flesh and blood . . . . Stan

ion of the hunters was diverted. Long Jim

police, he jumped the holes, taking risks that were not for a sane man. Once he fell, but, enslimed from head to foot, wringing wet and hatless, was up again in a twinkling. His enemies were less sure-footed than he, and times without number measured their length on the oily ground. Still, one of them was gaining rapidly on him, a giant of a fellow wi

lose behind that a collision resulted; the digger’s feet slid from under him, he fell on his face, the other on top. In their fall they struck a huge pillar of tin-dishes, ingeniously built up to the height of the store itself. This

ou! What in the

, side by side on the ground, one gripping the other’s collar, both

ed. “You’ve no licenc

scoundrel!” demanded t

was a saucy: “Now then,

narrow alley for the Camp officials to ride through, but their attitude was hostile, and there were cries of: “Leave ’im go, yer blackguards! . . . after sich

jauntily; and, as he offered his wrist

nto the tent and out again, he counted five one-pound notes into the constable’s pal

hought, he stepped forward and saluted the Commissioner. “A young hot-hea

u do!” muttered the di

aff at heel trotted down the slope, followed till out of earshot by a mocking fire of “Joe

ame orderly, hard-working men once more. The storekeeper hushed his

led, causing himself great pain, but could not get his boot off. At last, looking back over his should

built man of some seven or eight and twent

. And, on his friend reminding him that he might by now have been s

ll the confounded

nk I didn’t see how your h

ade an involuntary movement of the hand — checked for the rest halfway, by t

, who very well knew how to play his cards. At his companion’s heated disclaimer, however, he cha

ceased to show displeasure. “Purdy, you

Oh, lor! there go six canaries.” For, at his wincing and shrinking, his friend had taken a pen

ner stretched himself on the ground, his hea

through all the traff

here. In no haste to be gone, they sat about on empty boxes or upturned barrels exchanging confidences, while weary children plucked at their skirts. A party of youngsters entered, the tallest of whom could just see over the counter, and called for shandygaffs. The assistant was for chasing them off, with hard words. But the storekeeper put, instead, a stick of barley-sugar into each dirty, outstretched hand, and the imps retired well content. On their heels came a digger and his lady-love to choose a wedding-outfit; and all the gaudy finery the store held was displayed before them. A red velvet dress flounced with satin, a pink gauze bonnet, white satin shoes and white silk stockings met their fancy. The dewy-lipped, smutty-lashed Irish girl blushed and dimpled, in

ar’s-grease, Windsor soap, tinned coffee and hair oil, revolvers, shovels and Oxford shoes, lay in one grand miscellany: within the crowded store, as the afternoon wore on, the air grew rank and oppressive. Precisely at six o’clock the bar was let down across the door, and the storekeeper withdrew to his living-room at the back of the ten

of sunset had passed; but the upper sky was still aflush with colour. And in t