on his way to christen M'Kenzie's baby, called in
for a drink, and smilingly asked after Joe's health.

"Hold this kuk-kuk-cove, then," Joe said, handing the parson the
reptile, which was wriggling and biting at space, "an' I'll gug-gug-get
y' one." But when Mr. Macpherson saw the thing was alive he jumped back
and fell over the dog which was lying behind him in the shade. Bluey
grabbed him by the leg, and the parson jumped up in haste and made for
his horse--followed by Bluey. Joe cried, "KUM 'ere!"--then turned
inside.

Mother and Sal entered. They had come to make Dad and themselves a cup
of tea. They quarrelled with Joe, and he went out and started playing
with the snake. He let it go, and went to catch it by the tail again,
but the snake caught HIM--by the finger.

"He's bit me!" Joe cried, turning pale. Mother screeched, and Sal
bolted off for Dad, while the snake glided silently up the yard.

Anderson, passing on his old bay mare, heard the noise, and came in.
He examined Joe's finger, bled the wound, and was bandaging the arm
when Dad rushed in.

"Where is he?" he said. "Oh, you d--d whelp! You wretch of a boy! MY
God!"

"'Twasn' MY fault." And Joe began to blubber.

But Anderson protested. There was no time, he said, to be lost
barneying; and he told Dad to take his old mare Jean and go at once for
Sweeney. Sweeney was the publican at Kangaroo Creek, with a reputation
for curing snake-bite. Dad ran out, mounted Jean and turned her head
for Sweeney's. But, at the slip-rails, Jean stuck him up, and would n't
go further. Dad hit her between the ears with his fist, and got down
and ran back.

"The boy'll be dead, Anderson," he cried, rushing inside again.

"Come on then," Anderson said, "we'll take off his finger."

Joe was looking drowsy. But, when Anderson took hold of him and placed
the wounded finger on a block, and Dad faced him with the hammer and a
blunt, rusty old chisel, he livened up.

"No, Dad, NO!" he squealed, straining and kicking like an old man
kangaroo. Anderson stuck to him, though, and with Sal's assistance held
his finger on the block till Dad carefully rested the chisel on it and
brought the hammer down. It did n't sever the finger--it only scraped
the nail off--but it did make Joe buck. He struggled desperately and
got away.

Anderson could n't run at all; Dad was little faster; Sal could run
like a greyhound in her bare feet, but, before she could pull her boots