let Swampy
do the cadging for several days thereafter.

But one bad season they were very hard up indeed--even for Brummy
and Swampy. They'd tramped a long hungry track and had only met a few
wretched jackaroos, driven out of the cities by hard times, and tramping
hopelessly west. They were out of tobacco, and their trousers were so
hopelessly "gone" behind that when they went to cadge at a place where
there was a woman they were moved to back and sidle and edge away
again--and neither Brummy nor Swampy was over fastidious in matters
of dress or personal appearance. It was absolutely necessary to earn a
pound or two, so they decided to go to work for a couple of weeks. It
wouldn't hurt them, and then there was the novelty of it.

They struck West-o'-Sunday Station, and the boss happened to want a
rouseabout to pick up wool and sweep the floor for the shearers.

"I can put _one_ of you on," he said. "Fix it up between yourselves and
go to work in the morning."

Brummy and Swampy went apart to talk it over.

"Look here! Brum, old man," said Swampy, with great heartiness, "we've
been mates for a long while now, an' shared an' shared alike. You've
allers acted straight to me an' I want to do the fair thing by you.
_I_ don't want to stand in _your_ light. You take the job an' I'll be
satisfied with a pair of pants out of it and a bit o' tobacco now an'
agen. There yer are! I can't say no fairer than that."

"Yes," said Brummy, resentfully, "an' you'll always be thrown' it up to
me afterwards that I done you out of a job!"

"I'll swear I won't," said Swampy, hurriedly. "But since you're so
blasted touchy and suspicious about it, _you_ take this job an' I'll
take the next that turns up. How'll that suit you?"

Brummy thought resentfully.

"Look here!" he said presently, "let's settle it and have done with this
damned sentimental tommy-rot. I'll tell you what I'll do--I'll give you
the job and take my chance. The boss might want another man to-morrow.
Now, are you satisfied?"

But Swampy didn't look grateful or happy.

"Well," growled Brummy, "of all the ---- I ever travelled with you're
the ----. What do you want anyway? What'll satisfy you? That's all I
want to know. Hey?--can't yer speak?"

"Let's toss up for it," said Swampy, sulkily.

"All right," said Brummy, with a big oath, and he felt in his pocket for
two old pennies he had. But Swampy had got a suspicion somehow that one
of those pennies had two hea