ad. "They want too much money nowadays,
an' they're too darned partickler about their tucker. Meat three times
a day, whether you've killed it or not. An' puddin'. Cock 'em up with
puddin'--a fat lot of it I ever saw where I was raised. An' off to the
township on Saturday afternoon, an' lucky if they get back in time for
milkin' nex' mornin'. No--the workin' man ain't what 'e was, an' the new
kind'll make precious little of Australia!"

"That's about right, I'm afraid," said Jim, listening sympathetically to
this oration. "Well, will you take me and my friend as hands for a few
weeks, Mr. Howard?"

"You!" The old man stared at him. "Ain't 'ad a quarrel with yer dad,
'ave yer? You take my tip, if yer 'ave--go back and make it up. Not many
men in this districk like yer dad."

"I know that, jolly well," said Jim, laughing. "No--but my friend's
a new-chum, and I want to show him something of work on a place like
yours. We've been breaking him in on Billabong, but he'll have to take
a small place for himself, if he settles, and he'd better see what it's
like."

The old man shook his head doubtfully.

"English officer, I suppose?"

"Yes."

"I dunno," said Howard. "Too much of the fine gent about that sort, Mr.
Jim. I dunno 'ow I'd get down to orderin' the pair of yous about. An' I
ain't got no 'comodation for yous; an' the tucker's not what yous 'ave
bin used ter."

"You needn't let any of that worry you," said Jim cheerfully. "He isn't
a bit of a fine gent, really, and we'll tackle any job that's going.
As for accommodation, we've brought our blankets, and, in case you were
short of tucker, we've a big piece of corned beef and some bread. I
wish you'd try it, Mr. Howard; we don't want pay, and we'll do no end of
work. Murty reckons you won't be sorry if you take on Captain Rainham."

"Oh, Murty says that, does 'e?" asked the old man, visibly cheered.
"Well, Murty ain't the man to barrack for a useless new-chum."

"Great Scott, do you think I am?" demanded Jim, laughing. "Or my
father?"

"Yous cert'nly didn't ought to be," agreed Howard. "All the same"--he
pushed his hat back from his worried brow--"I dunno as I quite like it.
If I take on a chap I like 'im to step quick an' lively when I tell him
anything I want done; an' I don't make no guests of 'em either. They got
to do their own cookin', an' keep things clean an' tidy, too."

"We'll take our share," said Jim. "As for stepping quick and lively,
we've both