"Could 'av brought in a mob of snails
quicker. 'Tisn't good enough."
The Maluka also considered it not "good enough," and decided to run up a
rough branding wing at once on to the holding yard at the Springs; and
while Dan saw to the branding of the mob the Maluka looked out his plans.
"Did you get much hair for the mattress?" I asked, all in good faith,
when Dan came down from the yards to the house to discuss the plans, and
Dan stood still, honestly vexed with himself.
"Well, I'm blest!" he said, "if I didn't forget all about it," and then
tried to console me by saying I wouldn't need a mattress till the
mustering was over. "Can't carry it round with you, you know," he said,
"and it won't be needed anywhere else." Then he surveyed the house with
his philosophical eye.
"Wouldn't know the old place," Johnny had said, and Dan "reckoned" it was
"all right as houses go." Adding with a chuckle, "Well, she's wrestled
with luck for more'n four months to get it, but the question is, what's
she going to use it for now she's got it?"
CHAPTER XIV
For over four months we had wrestled with luck for a house, only to find
we had very little use for it for the time being, that is, until next
Wet.
