It is always so. These wondrous waterways have little part in that
mystical holding power of the Never-Never. They are only pleasant places
to ride through and leave behind; for their purring slumberous beauty is
vaguely suggestive of the beauty of a sleeping tiger: a sleeping tiger
with deadly fangs and talons hidden under a wonder of soft allurement;
and when exiles in the towns sit and dream their dreams are all of
stretches of scorched grass and quivering sun-flecked shade.
In the honest sunlight Dan's spirits rose, and as I investigated various
byways he asked "where the sense came in tying-up a dog that was doing no
harm running loose." "It weren't as though she'd taken to chivying
cattle," he added, as, a mob of inquisitive steers trotting after us, I
hurried Roper in among the riders; and then he wondered "how she'll shape
at her first muster."
The rest of the morning he filled in with tales of cattle-musters tales
of stampedes and of cattle rushing over camps and "mincing chaps into
saw-dust" until I was secretly pleased that the coming muster was for
horses.
But Jack's reprieve was to last a little longer. When all was ready for
the muster, word came in that outside blacks were in all along the river,
and the Maluka deciding that the risks were too great for the missus in
long-grass country, the plans were altered, and I was left at the
homestead in the Dandy's care.
"It's a ill wind that blows nobody any good," the Maluka said, drawing
attention to Jack's sudden interest in the proceedings.
Apart from sterling worth of character, the Dandy was all contrast to the
Quiet Stockman: quick, alert, and sociable, and brimming over with quiet
tact and thoughtfulness, and the Maluka knew I was in good hands. But
the Dandy had his work to attend to; and after watching till the bush had
swallowed up the last of the pack-team, I went to the wood-heap for
company and consolation. Had the Darwin ladies seen me then, they would
have been justified in saying, "I told you so."
There was plenty of company at the wood-heap, but the consolation was
doubtful in character. Goggle-Eye and three other old black fellows were
gossiping there, and after a peculiar grin of welcome, they expressed
great fear lest the homestead should be attacked by "outside" blacks
during the Maluka's absence. "Might it," they said, and offered to sleep
in the garden near me, as no doubt "missus would be frightened fellow" to
sleep alone.
"Me big mob frightened fellow longa wild black fellow," Goggle-Eye said,
rather overdoing the part; and the other old rascals giggled nervously,
and said "My word!" But sly, watchful glances made me sure they were only
probing to find if fear had kept the missus at the homestead. Of course,
if it had, a little harmless bullying for tobacco could be safely
indulged in when the Dandy was busy at the yards.
Fortunately, Dan's system of education provided for all emergencies; and
remembering his counsel to "die rather than own to a black fellow that
you were frightened of anything," I refused their offer of protection,
and declared so emphatically that there was nothing in heaven or earth
that I was afraid to tackle single-handed, that I almost believed it
myself.
There was no doubt they believed it, for they murmured in admiration "My
word! Missus big mob cheeky fellow all right." But in their admiration
they forgot that they were supposed to be quaking with fear themselves,
and took no precautions against the pretended attack. "Putting
themselves away properly," the Dandy said when I told him about it.
"It was a try-on all right," he added. "Evidence was against you, but
they struck an unexpected snag. You'll have to keep it up, though"; and
deciding "there was nothing in the yarn," the Dandy slept in the
Quarters, and I in the House, leaving the doors and windows open as
usual.
When this was reported at dawn by Billy Muck, who had taken no part in
the intimidation scheme, a wholesome awe crept into the old men's
admiration; for a black fellow is fairly logical in these matters.
To him, the man who crouches behind barred doors is a coward, and may be
attacked without much risk, while he who relies only on his own strength
appears as a Goliath defying the armies of a nation, and is best left
alone, lest he develop into a Samson annihilating Philistines.
Fortunately for my reputation, only the Dandy knew that we considered
open doors easier to get out of than closed ones, and that my revolver
was to be fired to call him from the Quarters if anything alarming
occurred.
"You'll have to live up to your reputation now," the Dandy said, and,
brave in the knowledge that he was within cooee, I ordered the old men
about most unmercifully, leaving little doubt in their minds that "missus
was big mob cheeky fellow."
They were most deferential all day, and at sundown I completed my revenge
by offering these rulers of a nation the insult of a woman's protection.
"If you are still afraid of the wild blacks, you may sleep near me
to-night," I said, and apologised for not having made the offer for the
night before.
"You've got 'em on toast," the Dandy chuckled as the offer was refused
with a certain amount of dignity.
The lubras secretly enjoyed the discomfiture of their lords and masters,
and taking me into their confidence, made it very plain that a lubra's
life at times is anything but a happy one; particularly if "me boy all
day krowl (growl)." As for the lords and masters themselves, the insult
rankled so that they spent the next few days telling great and valiant
tales of marvellous personal daring, hoping to wipe the stain of
cowardice from their characters.
