But preparations for a week's journey take time, outbush, owing to that
necessity of beginning at the beginning of things. Fresh horses were
mustered, a mob of bullocks rounded up for a killer, swags and pack-bags
packed; and just as all was in readiness for the start, the Quiet
Stockman came in, bringing a small mob of colts with him.
"I'm leaving," he announced in the Quarters; then, feeling some
explanation was necessary, added, "I WAS thinking of it before this
happened." Strictly speaking, this may be true, although he omitted to
say that he had abandoned the idea for some little time.
No one was surprised, and no one thought of asking what had happened, for
Jack had always steered clear of women, as he termed it. Not that he
feared or disliked them, but because he considered that they had nothing
in common with men. "They're such terrors for asking questions," he said
once, when pressed for an opinion, adding as an afterthought, "They never
seem to learn much either," in his own quiet way, summing up the average
woman's conversation with a shy bushman: a long string of purposeless
questions, followed by inane remarks on the answers.
"I'm leaving!" Jack had said, and later met the Maluka unshaken in his
resolve. There was that in the Maluka, however, that Jack had not
calculated on a something that drew all men to him, and made Dan speak of
him in after-years as the "best boss ever I struck"; and although the
interview only lasted a few minutes, and the Maluka spoke only of the
work of the station, yet in those few minutes the Quiet Stockman changed
his mind, and the notice was never given.
"I'm staying on," was all he said on returning to the Quarters; and quick
decisions being unusual with Jack, every one felt interested.
"Going to give her a chance?" Dan asked with a grin, and Jack looked
uncomfortable.
"I've only seen the boss," he said.
Dan nodded with approval. "You've got some sense left, then," he said,
"if you know a good boss when you see one."
Jack agreed in monosyllables; but when Dan settled down to argue out the
advantages of having a woman about the place, he looked doubtful; but
having nothing to say on the subject, said nothing; and when Dan left for
the Katherine next morning he was still unconvinced.
Dan set out for the north track soon after sun-up, assuring us that he'd
get hold of Johnny somehow; and before sun-down a traveller crossed the
Creek below the billabong at the south track, and turned into the
homestead enclosure.
