the very minute they're let out, and very nice work
it'll look with all these calves with our brand on sucking these cows.'

Father happened to come round for a hot brand just as Jim finished.

'Never you mind about the weaning,' he snarled. 'I shan't ask you to
tail them either. It wouldn't be a nice job here, would it?' and father
actually laughed. It wasn't a very gay kind of a laugh, and he shut up
his mouth with a sort of snap again. Jim and I hadn't seen him laugh for
I don't know how long, and it almost frightened us.

As Jim said, it wouldn't do to let the cattle out again. If calves are
weaned, and have only one brand on, it is very hard for any man to swear
that they are not the property of the man to whom that brand belongs.
He may believe them to be his, but may never have seen them in his life;
and if he has seen them on a camp or on the run, it's very hard to swear
to any one particular red or spotted calf as you would to a horse.

The great dart is to keep the young stock away from their mothers until
they forget one another, and then most of the danger is past. But if
calves with one man's brand on are seen sucking another man's cows, it
is pretty plain that the brand on the calves has been put on without the
consent of the owner of the cows--which is cattle-stealing; a felony,
according to the Act 7 and 8 George IV, No. 29, punishable with three
years' imprisonment, with hard labour on the roads of the colony or
other place, as the Judge may direct.

There's a lot of law! How did I learn it? I had plenty of time in
Berrima Gaol--worse luck--my first stretch. But it was after I'd done
the foolishness, and not before.

Chapter 5

'Now then, you boys!' says father, coming up all of a sudden like, and
bringing out his words as if it was old times with us, when we didn't
know whether he'd hit first and talk afterwards, or the other way on,
'get out the lot we've just branded, and drive 'em straight for that
peak, where the water shines dripping over the stones, right again the
sun, and look slippy; we're burning daylight, and these cows are making
row enough, blast 'em! to be heard all the way to Banda. I'll go on and
steady the lead; you keep 'em close up to me.'

Father mounted the old mare. The dog stopped behind; he knew he'd
have to mind the tail--that is the hindmost cattle--and stop 'em from
breaking or running clear away from the others. We threw down the rails.
Away the cattle rus