grew
no cabbage or wegetables, only a paddock of potatoes. Didn't want no
visitors, 'cos he was afraid they'd want to select some of his run.
Wanted everything to look as poor and miserable as possible. He put
on a clean shirt once a week, on Sabbath to keep it holy, and by way
of being religious. Kept no fine furniture in the house, only a big
hardwood table, some stools, and candle boxes. After supper old
Mother Shenty scraped the potato skins off the table into her apron
--she always boiled the potatoes in their jackets--and then Shenty
lay down on it and smoked his pipe till bedtime, thinking of the best
way to keep down expenses. A parson came along one day lifting a
subscription for a church, or school, or something. He didn't get
anything out of old Shenty, only a pannikin of tea and some damper
and mutton. The old cove said: 'Church nor school never gave me
nothing, nor do me no good, and I could buy up a heap o' parsons and
schoolmasters if I wanted to, and they were worth buying. Us
squatters is the harrystockrisy out here. The lords at home sends
out their good-for-nothing sons to us, to get rich and be out of the
way, and much good they does. Why don't you parsons make money by
your eddication if it's any good, instead of goin' round beggin'?
You are all after the filthy lucre, wantin' to live on other folks.'
I was holdin' the parson's horse, and when he got into the saddle, he
turns to old Shenty, and says: 'From rottenness you sprung, and to
rottenness you'll go. Your money will drag you down to hell; you'll
want to throw it away, but it will burn into your soul for all
eternity.'

"I am mortal hungry," continued Bob, "and they don't give no rations
until about sundown, and we'll have to wait six hours. It's hard
lines. I see there's an orchard there now, and most likely a
wegtable garden--and cabbages. I'd like some boiled beef and
cabbage. It wouldn't be no harm to try and get somethin' to eat,
anyhow. What do you say, Ned? You was a swell cove once, and knows
how to talk to the quality. Go and try 'em."

Ned went and talked to the "quality" so well that he brought back
rations for three.

Towards the end of the year Nosey arrived at Piney Station, about
forty miles from the Murray, and obtained employment. Baldy's bones
had been lying under the rocks for nearly fifteen years. It was
absurd to suppose they could ever be discovered now, or if they were,
that any evidence could