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take that down this morning？〃
Joe unhooked it and said： 〃But if I hang it anywhere else the dog'll get it。〃
Dad tried to laugh at Joe； and said； loudly； 〃And what else is it for？〃 Then he bustled Joe off before he could answer him again。
Joe did n't understand。
Then Dad said （putting the leg in a bag）： 〃Do you want everyone to know we eat it； you？〃
Joe understood。
The ceremony commenced。 Those who could squeeze inside did sothe others looked in at the window and through the cracks in the chimney。
Mrs。 M'Doolan led Kate out of the back…room； then Sandy rose from the fire…place and stood beside her。 Everyone thought Kate looked very niceand orange blossoms！ You'd think she was an orange…tree with a new bed…curtain thrown over it。 Sandy looked well； too； in his snake…belt and new tweeds； but he seemed uncomfortable when the pin that Dave put in the back of his collar came out。
The parson did n't take long； and how they scrambled and tumbled over each other at the finish！ Charley Mace said that he got the first kiss； Big George said HE did； and Mrs。 M'Doolan was certain she would have got it only for the baby。
Fun！ there WAS fun！ The room was cleared and they promenaded for a danceSandy and Kate in the lead。 They continued promenading until one of the well…sinkers called for the concertinaours had been repaired till you could get only three notes out of it； but Jim Burke jumped on his horse and went home for his accordion。
Dance！ they did dance！until sun…rise。 But unless you were dancing you could n't stay inside； because the floor broke up； and talk about dust！before morning the room was like a drafting…yard。
It was a great wedding； and though years have since passed； all the neighbours say still it was the best they were ever at。
Chapter XIII。
The Summer Old Bob Died。
It was a real scorcher。 A soft； sweltering summer's day。 The air quivered； the heat drove the fowls under the dray and sent the old dog to sleep upon the floor inside the house。 The iron on the skillion cracked and sweatedso did Dad and Dave down the paddock； grubbinggrubbing； in 130 degrees of sunshine。 They were clearing a piece of new landa heavily…timbered box…tree flat。 They had been at it a fortnight； and if any music was in the ring of the axe or the rattle of the pick when commencing； there was none now。
Dad wished to be cheerful and complacent。 He said （putting the pick down and dragging his flannel off to wring it）： 〃It's a good thing to sweat well。〃 Dave did n't say anything。 I don't know what he thought； but he looked up at Dadjust looked up at himwhile the perspiration filled his eyes and ran down over his nose like rain off a shingle； then he hitched up his pants and 〃wired in〃 again。
Dave was a philosopher。 He worked away until the axe flew off the handle with a ring and a bound； and might have been lost in the long grass for ever only Dad stopped it with his shin。 I fancy he did n't mean to stop it when I think how he jumpedit was the only piece of excitement there had been the whole of that relentlessly solemn fortnight。 Dad got vexedhe was in a hurry with the grubbingand said he never could get anything done without something going wrong。 Dave was n't sorry the axe came offhe knew it meant half…an…hour in the shade fixing it on again。 〃Anyway；〃 Dad went on； 〃we'll go to dinner now。〃
On the way to the house he several times looked at the skythat cloudless； burning skyand saidto no one in particular； 〃I wish to God it would rain！〃 It sounded like an aggravated prayer。 Dave did n't speak； and I don't think Dad expected he would。
Joe was the last to sit down to dinner； and he came in steaming hot。 He had chased out of sight a cow that had poked into the cultivation。 Joe mostly went about with green bushes in his hat； to keep his head cool； and a few gum…leaves were now sticking in his moist and matted hair。
〃I put her out； Dad！〃 he said； casting an eager glare at everything on the table。 〃She tried to jump and got stuck on the fence； and broke it all down。 On'y I could n't get anything； I'd er broke 'er headthere was n't a thing； on'y dead cornstalks and cow…dung about。〃 Then he lunged his fork desperately at a blowfly that persistently hovered about his plate； and commenced。
Joe had a healthy appetite。 He had charged his mouth with a load of cold meat； when his jaws ceased work； and； opening his mouth as though he were sleepy； he leaned forward and calmly returned it all to the plate。 Dad got suspicious and asked Joe what was up； but Joe only wiped his mouth； looked sideways at his plate； and pushed it away。
All of us stopped eating then； and stared at each other。 Mother said； 〃Well； II wrapped a cloth round it so nothing could get in； and put it in the safeI don't know where on earth to put the meat； I'm sure； if I put it in a bag and hang it up that thief of a dog gets it。〃
〃Yes；〃 Dad observed； 〃I believe he'd stick his nose into hell itself； Ellen； if he thought there was a bone thereand there ought to be lots by this time。〃 Then he turned over the remains of that cold meat； and； considering we had all witnessed the last kick of the slaughtered beast； it was surprising what animation this part of him yet retained。 In vain did Dad explore for a really dead piecethere was life in all of it。
Joe was n't satisfied。 He said he knew where there was a lot of eggs； and disappeared down the yard。 Eggs were not plentiful on our selection； because we too often had to eat the hens when there was no meatthree or four were as many as we ever saw at one time。 So on this day； when Joe appeared with a hatful； there was excitement。 He felt himself a hero。 We thought him a little saviour。
〃My！〃 said Mother； 〃where did you get all those？〃
〃Get 'em！ I've had these planted for three muncethey're a nest I found long ago； I thought I would n't say anythink till we really wanted 'em。〃
Just then one of the eggs fell out of the hat and went off 〃pop〃 on the floor。
Dave nearly upset the table； he rose so suddenly； and covering his nose with one hand he made for the door； then he scowled back over his shoulder at Joe。 He utterly scorned his brother Joe。 All of us deserted the table except Dadhe stuck to his place manfully； it took a lot to shift HIM。
Joe must have had a fine nerve。 〃That's on'y one bad 'n'；〃 he said； taking the rest to the fireplace where the kettle stood。 Then Dad； who had remained calm and majestic； broke out。 〃Damn y'； boy！〃 he yelled； 〃take th' awful things outsideYOU tinker！〃 Joe took them out and tried them all； but I forget if he found a good one。
Dad peered into the almost…empty water…cask and again muttered a short prayer for rain。 He decided to do no more grubbing that day； but to run wire around the new land instead。 The posts had been in the ground some time； and were bored。 Dave and Sarah bored them。 Sarah was as good as any manso Dad reckoned。 She could turn her hand to anything； from sewing a shirt to sinking a post…hole。 She could give Dave inches in arm measurements； and talk about a leg！ She HAD a lega beauty！ It was as thick at the ankle as Dad's was at the thigh； nearly。
Anyone who would know what real amusement is should try wiring posts。 What was to have been the top wire （the No。 8 stuff） Dad commenced to put in the bottom holes； and we ran it through some twelve or fifteen posts before he saw the mistakethen we dragged it out slowly and savagely； Dad swearing adequately all the time。
At last everything went splendidly。 We dragged the wire through panel after panel； and at intervals Dad would examine the blistering sky for signs of rain。 Once when he looked up a red bullock was reaching for his waistcoat； which hung on a branch of a low tree。 Dad sang out。 The bullock poked out his tongue and reached higher。 Then Dad told Joe to run。 Joe ranso did the bullock； but faster； and with the waistcoat that once was a part of Mother's shawl half…way down his throat。 Had the shreds and ribbons that dangled to it been a little longer； he might have trodden on them and pulled it back； but he did n't。 Joe deemed it his duty to follow that red bullock till it dropped the waistcoat； so he hammered along full split behind。 Dad and Dave stood watching until pursued and pursuer vanished down the gully； then Dad said something about Joe being a fool； and they pulled at the wire again。 They were nearing a corner post； and Dad was hauling the wire through the last panel； when there came the devil's own noise of galloping hoofs。 Fifty or more cattle came careering along straight for the fence； bellowing and kicking up their heels in the air； as cattle do sometimes after a shower of rain。 Joe was behind themconsiderablystill at full speed and yelping like a dog。 Joe loved excitement。
For weeks those cattle had been accustomed to go in and out between the posts； and they did n't seem to have any thoughts of wire as they bounded along。 Dave stood with gaping mouth。 Dad groaned； and the wire's…end he was holding in his hand flew up with a whiz and took a scrap of his ear away。 The cattle got mixed up in the wires。 Some toppled over； some were caught by the legs； some by the horns。 They dragged