mostly. The sun was just rising as we rode across the last tableland.
We got off and stumbled along, horses and men, down the track to the
Hollow. Dad and Warrigal hadn't come back; of course they couldn't stand
the pace we did. They'd have to camp for a bit, but they both knew of
plants and hiding holes, where all the police in the colony couldn't
find them. We knew they'd turn up some time next day. So we let go our
horses, and after a bit of supper laid down and slept till well on in
the afternoon.

When I looked round I saw the dog sleeping at Jim's feet, old Crib. He
never left father very far, so of course the old man must be home, or
pretty close up. I was that dead beat and tired out that I turned over
and went to sleep for another couple of hours. When I next woke up I was
right and felt rested, so I put on my things, had a good wash, and went
out to speak to father. He was sitting by the fire outside smoking, just
as if he'd never been away.

Chapter 35

'We done that job to rights if we never done another, eh, lad?' says
father, reaching out for a coal to put in his pipe.

'Seems like it,' I said. 'There'll be a deuce of a bobbery about it. We
shan't be able to move for a bit, let alone clear out.'

'We'll show 'em a trick or two yet,' says dad. I could see he'd had a
tot, early as it was. 'I wonder how them chaps got on? But we'll hear
soon.'

'How shall we hear anything? Nobody'll be mad enough to show out of here
for a bit.'

'I could get word here,' says father, 'if there was a police barrack on
the top of Nulla Mountain. I've done it afore, and I can do it again.'

'Well, I hope it won't be long, for I'm pretty full up of this
staying-at-home business in the Hollow. It's well enough for a bit, but
it's awful slow when you've too much of it.'

'It wouldn't be very slow if we was all grabbed and tried for our lives,
Mr. Dick Marston. Would ye like that better for a change?' says the old
man, showing his teeth like a dog that's making up his mind to have ye
and don't see where he's to get first bite. 'You leave the thing to them
as knows more than you do, or you'll find yourself took in, and that
precious sharp.'

'You'll find your pals, Burke and Moran, and their lot will have their
turn first,' I said, and with that I walked off, for I saw the old man
had been drinking a bit after his night's work, and that always started
his temper the wrong way. There was no doing anything with hi