What would happen to his
dinner if any one's appetite failed for want of rest? There were too few
of us as it was, and, besides, he would have to stay up all night in any
case, for the mince pies were yet to be made, in addition to brownie and
another plum-pudding for the "boys," to say nothing of the hop-beer,
which if made too soon would turn with the thunder and if made too late
would not "jump up" in time. He did not add that he would have trusted
no mortal with the care of the fires that night.
He did add, however, that it would be as well to dispatch the Vealer over
night, and that an early move (about fowl-sing-out) would not be amiss;
and, always obedient to Cheon's will, we all turned in, in good time, and
becoming drowsy, dreamed of "watching" great mobs of Vealers, with each
Vealer endowed with a plum-pudding for a head.
CHAPTER XXIII
At earliest dawn we were awakened by wild, despairing shrieks, and were
instinctively groping for our revolvers when we remembered the fatted
fowls and Cheon's lonely vigil, and turning out, dressed hastily,
realising that Christmas had come, and the pullets had sung their last
"sing-out."
When we appeared the stars were still dimly shining, but Cheon's face was
as luminous as a full moon, as, greeting each and all of us with a "Melly
Clisymus," he suggested a task for each and all. Some could see about
taking the Vealer down from the gallows; six lubras were "rounded up" for
the plucking of the pullets, while the rest of us were sent out, through
wet grass and thicket, into the cold, grey dawn, to gather in "big, big
mob bough and mistletoe," for the beautifying of all things.
How we worked! With Cheon at the helm, every one was of necessity
enthusiastic. The Vealer was quartered in double-quick time, and the
first fitful rays of sunlight found their way to the Creek crossing to
light up an advancing forest of boughs and mistletoe clumps that moved
forward on nimble black legs.
In a gleaming, rustling procession the forest of green boughs advanced,
all crimson-flecked with mistletoe and sunlight, and prostrated itself
around us in mighty heaps at the head of the homestead thoroughfare.
Then the nimble black legs becoming miraculously endowed with nimble
black bodies and arms, soon the gleaming boughs were piled high upon the
iron roof of the Eastern verandah to keep our impromptu dining-hall cool
and fresh. High above the roof rose the greenery, and over the edge of
the verandah, throughout its length, hung a deep fringe of green,
reaching right down to the ground at the posts; everywhere among the
boughs trailed long strands of bright red mistletoe, while within the
leafy bower itself hanging four feet deep from the centre of the high
roof one dense elongated mass of mistletoe swayed gently in the breeze,
its heaped-up scarlet blossoms clustering about it like a swarm of
glorious bees.
