McGovern picked his teeth with the meat-knife,
grunted.
Cabell asked, and at oncewondered angrily why he
had asked such a question, but insisted,Do they?
Possums andbandicoots squabbled in the depths of
the scrub. McGovern, his hands thrust in the tops of his trousers, stillsprawled
across the narrow doorway.
Hellkill you on the spot and prove it was your own
doing. Can you wait till youre good for nothing else? Iknow what this means, he
said, breathless. This seemed to strike Peppiott like a fist.
But most frequently he would beginto whisper to
himself, covertly, suspiciously.
The straw was beginning to come out atthe eyes and
nostrils.
I nearly have a fit just to look at him, Pete said.
A man was going about with a flare,lighting the dingo fires round the sheep
pens.
I cant be everywhere on a fifty-milerun at once,
can I?
And after that I dont know except what I wastold. A
voice was cursing, threatening, yelling Hit on the back, youdirty
flogger!
For the oldman it was the past made tangible. He
wasfrightfully torn about and nearly died.
I hear yourfather is going to take you over to
Dorchester for the night coachtomorrow.
Possums andbandicoots squabbled in the depths of
the scrub. They said it ought to be put behind a glasscase.
Take what Ive got left and let me get out of this
place.