Outside The Verandahs, And All Around The
House, Was What Was To Be Known Later As The Garden, A Grassy
Stretch of
hillocky ground, well scratched and beaten down by dogs, goats, and
fowls; fenceless itself, being part of the
Grassy acres which were
themselves fenced round to form the homestead enclosures. Just inside
this enclosure, forming, in fact, the south-western barrier of it, stood
the "billabong," then a spreading sheet of water; along its banks
flourished the vegetable garden; outside the enclosure, towards the
south-east, lay a grassy plain a mile across, and to the north-west were
the stock-yards and house paddock - a paddock of five square miles, and
the only fenced area on the run; while everywhere to the northwards, and
all through the paddock, were dotted "white-ant" hills, all shapes and
sizes, forming brick-red turrets among the green scrub and timber.
"Well!" Mac said, after we had completed a survey. "I said it wasn't a
fit place for a woman, didn't I?"
But the Head-stockman was in one of his argumentative moods. "Any place
is a fit place for a woman," he said, "provided the woman is fitted for
the place. The right man in the right place, you know. Square people
shouldn't try to get into round holes."
"The woman's SQUARE enough!" the Maluka interrupted; and Mac added, "And
so is the HOLE," with a scornful emphasis on the word "hole."
Dan chuckled, and surveyed the queer-looking building with new interest.
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