And as we waited for the Dandy, the Line Party moved on to our northern
boundary, taking with it possible Christmas guests; the Fizzer came in
and went on, to face a "merry Christmas with damper and beef served in
style on a pack-bag," also regretting empty mail-bags - the Southern mail
having been delayed en route. Tam and the Sanguine Scot accepted
invitations to the Christmas dinner; and the Wet broke in one terrific
thunderclap, as the heavens, opening, emptied a deluge over us.
In that mighty thunderclap the Wet rushed upon us with a roar of falling
waters, and with them Billy Muck appeared at the house verandah dripping
like a beaver, to claim further credit.
"Well?" he said again, "Me rainmaker, eh ?" and the Maluka shouted above
the roar and din:
"You're the boy for my money, Billy! Keep her going!" and Billy kept her
going to such purpose that by sun-up the billabong was a banker, Cheon
was moving over the face of the earth with the buoyancy of a child's
balloon, and Billy had five inches of rain to his credit. (So far,
eleven inches was the Territory record for one night). Also the fringe
of birds was back at the billabong, having returned with as little
warning as it had left, and once more its ceaseless chatter became the
undertone of the homestead.
